


An Unbalanced World

by Pemdas_24



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, And developing character relationships, Crazy plot action will happen after all the set-ups, Gen, Modern day world where benders exist, Much of beginning chapters consist mainly of worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-06
Updated: 2016-10-01
Packaged: 2018-02-20 02:17:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 39,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2411309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pemdas_24/pseuds/Pemdas_24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All Harry wants is for his Bending History and Theory class to not be required in order for him to graduate from high school. The teacher is great and the material is interesting, but he never feels comfortable being in it. </p><p>Taking the class becomes the least of his problems though.</p><p>Someone has caught on to Harry's secret and is targeting others like him for sinister purposes. Now Harry has to learn to work together with a group of new friends in order to get their lives back to any semblance of normalcy...and safety.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I hardly ever have dreams, at least not ones that I can remember having.
> 
> On the rare occasions that I _do_ remember my dreams, they usually don't make sense, but a while back I had this crazily vivid dream about the boys of One Direction living in a modern world where benders (like the ones in Avatar) exist as a minority. 
> 
> I know this probably seems like a horrible idea at first...and maybe it is, but I feel like I _need_ to write this, okay? 
> 
> I'll consider this story a success if at least one person, _one reader_ likes this. I hope someone out there will like it...but screw it, I'm going to write anyway.

The classroom was organized and orderly with its thick books on numerous shelves against the walls, some obviously very old and damaged with previous use while others were new. Despite this, every single one of them was treated with an equal amount of care and reverence. Every corner of the room was colored differently from each other and kept tidy, each of them with their own artifacts and books on display. Proud symbols along with their colors indicated each of the corner's dedication to one of the class points of interest - one green corner, another red, one yellow, and the last blue. The students weren't standing around one of these corners today though, looking through the individual texts or examining the artifacts. 

The teacher had been in lecture and was now holding a class discussion. She was clearly someone who took her job seriously and actually enjoyed educating her students, broadening their minds. Her positivity and personality drew student attention like moths to a flame, everyone's eyes on her. She made her students feel at ease to answer her questions, but Harry couldn't help feeling uncomfortable every time he entered her classroom. 

"Can anyone tell me one of the theories behind why elemental bending has almost completely disappeared as of today?" She nodded toward a student who looked particularly eager to answer. 

"People have become less in tune with both themselves and the world and started losing touch with their spirituality and chi that influences bending abilities."

"Yes, that is one of the main theories, well done Jason. Anyone else?"

"Bloodlines are less pure now than before. As people started moving from place to place and married into different families, the bending genes that were already recessive to begin with have become even more muddled and less likely to manifest."

"Excellent, Megan! Again, another well established theory. Any other ideas? Come on class, don't be shy." She gestured toward a student at the back who was tentatively raising her hand, an often quiet girl named Amy. 

"Bending abilities aren't really as necessary anymore and they take a lot of time to develop. You don't use them in daily life or for most careers if you have them so you don't hone your abilities. Some might even have the potential, but don't care enough to look for it or use it." 

The boy next to her spoke up in interest. "You mean kind of like how someone might have an inborn talent for jousting, but unless they grew up in a time where there was a lot of jousting going on, which obviously isn't today, they aren't going to figure that out?" 

"Yeah, I guess..."

"Another insightful explanation and wonderful paraphrasing, Eric. I am looking for one more theory in particular though, class. Does anyone know what it is? " 

The teacher scanned her classroom and was met with a bunch of blank stares and some shaking heads. 

"As the number of elemental benders slowly began to diminish, those few who remained went into hiding. Why? Some say to avoid the discrimination, to avoid being treated like outsiders or freaks, to avoid being the target of hate from those who fear their potential power, to avoid the attention from the military who wish to employ them, to avoid the scientists and doctors who want to study them under a microscope in an attempt to understand their abilities. In short, to avoid life in a world where their society is no longer a place benders can flourish and live in peace...live in normalcy. And it is precisely because of this, that it is believed most of those who are benders today are only benders in secret. There could be one in this room right now and we'd never know it." 

Heads turned to look around the room, as if to test that statement. As if anyone could tell an inactive bender from a harmless non-bender sitting next to them. The teacher seemed to look each of her students in the eyes as if to see for herself if she could spot a secret bender among them. But then she smiled to her whole class, content with not noticing a difference in any of them before she said, "Class dismissed." 

_________________________________

"I don't understand why we're all required to take Bending History and Theory in order to graduate. I mean, it's not like we'll need it after high school."

The hallways were quickly emptying, most of the other students too busy rushing by to overhear what Harry had to say as they tried to get home as soon as possible. Harry was always one to walk slow though - do everything slow actually as his friends liked to point out - so the majority of his friends hung back to walk with him only when they didn't have anything pressing to do. On this particular day, it meant no one heard him except Josh. 

Josh looked thoughtful beside him, but unconvinced. It wasn't exactly the confirmation Harry had been looking for. "I don't know, Harry...I kind of like that class. The teacher is cool and the material is actually interesting, you know? At least it isn't like, impossible to understand, like Calculus or something. That class sucks." 

"Yeah, I guess." Harry was fully prepared to drop it, move on to another topic since they obviously didn't agree here. But then he saw Josh's eyes light up with renewed excitement. Maybe his friend had just been waiting to talk about that class with someone and now Harry had unknowingly given him the opportunity. This could lead to a not-so-positive place with Josh that Harry didn't exactly want to go to. 

"If you ask me, I think that the whole bending thing is amazing. I kind of wish I was able to do that shit. It looks freakin' awesome!" 

"I doubt you'd still think it was awesome if you actually were a bender. You know, based on all the discrimination and horrible stuff they go through that we learn about in class." 

"Eh, it's not all horrible. I could've joined one of those bending sanctuaries and become a master someday." Right, one of those bending sanctuaries that unfortunately required you to uproot yourself from pretty much everything you've ever known up until that point so you could be sealed away within protective walls filled with absolute strangers. Sealed away for god knows how long in order to be safe. But some benders weren't given much of a choice these days... Josh wouldn't be able to go through with any of that; he wouldn't _have_ to.

 _"Sure, you could."_ Harry said, his voice reflecting his not-even-slightly-amused thoughts on the matter. Josh was ridiculous sometimes.

"I absolutely could! Anyway, why are you always in such a bad mood after class? I get that everyone hates school and all, but you don't have to be a dick about it. Yesterday you told me off for harmlessly contemplating whether waterbenders could be hiding in the ocean and living like fish."

"It was a dumb question."

"No, it was a perfectly viable question. They could be swimming around like mermaids and be permanently pruney!" 

On that note, Harry decided now would be the best time to drop this conversation before it turned into something more serious and possibly ended in an argument. "Listen, I got to go. I'll see you tomorrow." 

Josh merely rolled his eyes, maybe slightly disappointed that he wouldn't get to have the discussion he had wanted. At least it was better than annoyance or anger. "Yeah, yeah. Go find your normal sense of humor and get back to me when you do." 

_________________________________

That night, there was a breaking news report on TV that said fire trucks, ambulances, and police had responded to an emergency call in someplace called Bradford. A house had accidentally been set on fire by a bender who'd kept his abilities secret and had finally lost his temper. The boy had presumably been alone in his room trying to calm down and his oblivious family had been home when the house lit up in flames. The boy was immediately taken into custody once the authorities arrived and his family was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation and burn treatment. There were no current details on their health status. 

Harry turned off the TV as soon as the report was over and tried not to think about how much the story bothered him when he finally went to bed. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Working chapter, short but to the point.  
> It's a little vague, but the story is actually supposed to be that way for now.  
> I'll probably come back to this and add a bit more detail or something another day, but for now this works just fine. Ta-dah!

It started off as a regular school day. Harry got through his other classes a bit mindlessly, caught up in the conversation of his friends beside him at the back of the class. He finished his lunch afterward and tried to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach that grew and made him squirm as the clock ticked closer to his last class of the day.

He dragged his feet through the hallway and was making his way sluggishly to the classroom when the alarm went off. The more responsive students around him flinched, put their hands to their ears as the alarm blared on, but soon enough, every single student remaining slowly became frozen in their tracks just like the others. It gradually sunk in that this was the fire alarm...and it wasn't a drill. Order got shot to hell as one student started running and everyone else followed his example of panic. It had only taken seconds for the hallway to become a madhouse, people shoving and pushing, with Harry right in the middle of it. 

Harry had been too frozen to do much. He didn't want to push people out of the way; couldn't make himself do it. Instead, he stayed pressed up against the wall trying to let everyone pass and not be trampled on in the process. That's when he turned his head toward the end of the hallway and saw the smoke. It was coming from where he had been headed, the Bending History and Theory classroom. And that's also when he realized there was a faint echo coming from that direction, almost buried under the blare of the alarm. People calling for help. 

The hallway was empty now, every other student having run in a panic for the nearest exit, but Harry hesitated. His heart pounded. His head and body screamed at him to _move_ and _run_ , but when he finally listened to himself, he found that he was running _toward_ the fire and voices calling for help rather than away from them. 

 

_____________________________________ 

 

There is smoke and fire everywhere. A group of four are trying to avoid the flames closing in on them, blocking off their possible escape routes up ahead. Harry reaches for a nearby fire extinguisher and clumsily uses it on the surrounding fire to clear their path. The others start yelling that there is another person in the classroom, some girl. He tells them he'll help her and for them to get out. 

It is after they run off, coughing on the smoke on the way, that he spots her in the farthest corner of the room. Her face is fearful and familiar. She is the quiet girl in his class. He calls for her as he weaves around burning desktops, yelling so she can hear him clearly. 

"Amy, it's Harry, come on! Get out of there!" 

He can barely hear her weak response. "I can't!" She goes through a coughing fit as the flames close in on her cowering in the corner, trapped. The fire is quickly burning through the surrounding wood of the bookshelves and all those delicate texts their teacher had treated as precious objects. "Just get out, Harry!" 

The fire extinguisher isn't enough. One of the bookshelves come tumbling down, dangerously close between them. He has to pat some stray embers off his shirt and Amy shrinks even further back into the corner. Harry's heart drops as the extinguisher runs out before he can reach her. The smoke is getting heavier, the flames stronger, and the situation more dire. He eyes the room across the hallway. If he could just make it... Amy yells at him, the loudest she's probably ever been in her whole life, to get out now. Harry can't leave her here though. 

He has no choice. 

 

_____________________________________ 

 

Harry had only been trying to help and now he was handcuffed, under arrest in the back of a cop car on its way to police headquarters. Harry didn't know who to blame for his situation. His own stupidity, the cops' unfairness, or the school for setting on fire. Maybe all three. 

"This isn't fair. I didn't do anything!"

"You and I both know that's a lie, bender," the cop said coldly. He hadn't even looked into the rear view mirror this time to glare at him. Like Harry wasn't worth his time to glare at anymore. He didn't know why he was still talking when the guy clearly wasn't going to listen to him. 

"I was trying to help. I didn't start that fire!" 

"Yeah, yeah. Tell it to the judge." 

It wasn't fair. It didn't matter now though because Harry was probably going to go to prison for saving that girl. He should have left her. He should have waited for the firefighters to do their job. But if he had...she could have died. No, she _would_ have died. 

He wondered if the girl considered him a hero or if she hated him anyway. He wondered if his parents knew he was under arrest, if they hated him for being a bender too. 

Suddenly, the police car veered violently off the road and onto a side street, its tires screeching and trying to avoid something in the middle of the road that hadn't been there a second ago. Harry was thrown to one side by the car's momentum, roughly hitting his head on one of the doors. His vision swam and his head spun and he only vaguely noticed that the car was no longer moving, the cop had disappeared, and that he was being pulled out of the car by some masked man, before his vision completely faded to black. 


	3. Chapter 3

_There is smoke and fire everywhere._

_He spots her in the farthest corner of the room, her face fearful and familiar. "Amy, it's Harry, come on! Get out of there!"_

_He can barely hear her weak response. "I can't!" She goes through a coughing fit as the flames close in on her cowering in the corner, trapped. The fire is quickly burning through the surrounding wood of the bookshelves and all those delicate texts their teacher had treated as precious objects. "Just get out, Harry!"_

_The fire extinguisher isn't enough. The smoke is getting heavier, the flames stronger, and the situation more dire. He eyes the room across the hallway. If he could just make it... Amy yells at him, the loudest she's probably ever been in her whole life, to get out now. Harry can't leave her here though. He has no choice._

_He runs back out the classroom door to the hall restroom, jumps through the little line of flames at the doorway, fumbles with all the sinks' knobs, and pulls at the water that comes out. In the back of his mind, he knows that this is more than he's ever done before. That he's only ever streamed water a handful of times in his life, but this is an emergency and it seems like his body picks up on that._

_Every step closer to Amy, the harder it gets, the more he has to pull and carry to make it over, especially as some water is used up on the flames between them to clear his path. When he finally reaches her, he sees her raise her head to see who is coming. He sees her eyes widen at the very last moment when she sees what he's doing. He releases all of the water he had built up around him, lets it fall over and conquer the deadly fire barrier. He pulls at a frozen Amy, picks her up and carries her out as she curls into him and proceeds to cough up her lungs._

_When they finally make it out, everyone's eyes turn to them. Firefighters shout and grab at them. They carry Amy away to a separate set of paramedics and force Harry to sit by the fire truck to undergo his own medical test._

_"Breathe for me now. How did you get out of there?" It becomes one question of many and all the while Harry can see the paramedics hovering over Amy on one side while police eye him with suspicion from the other. He must have answered a question wrong, because the next thing he knows, he is being pulled into a cop car on its way to the station._

_***_

He woke up in a dimly lit room, alone. No fire, no sirens, no smoke, no police, and no handcuffs. It took him a minute to realize this was not his bedroom or even the police station once he remembered the details of his arrest before he'd blacked out. His head still hurt and it was hard to think. He wished he knew where the hell he was. 

"You awake, now?" 

Harry looked up at the sudden voice. He could have sworn no one else had been in the room with him. He scanned the room again and realized he still couldn't see anyone. 

"Over here," the voice said. And that's when a boy stepped out from one of the room's shadowed corners. He looked about Harry's age. His hair was messy, his skin tanned from a lot of sun, and he was dressed in blindingly bright clothes of yellow and orange that didn't look even remotely comfortable. Harry couldn't believe he didn't notice him in those clothes. "So you're Harry, huh? The new water bender? I have to say, you look more like an earth bender to me." 

"Who are you?" The stranger only smirked at the hint of mistrust in his voice. 

"The name's Louis and I swear I don't bite. Usually." The boy - Louis - stepped closer then, the sunlight coming in from one of the windows highlighted the blue in his eyes. The window was suspiciously open. Harry frowned at it before turning to Louis. 

"You came in from there?" 

"Maybe. Listen Curly, they'll be coming to check on you soon and I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell them I was here." 

"Tell who-" The doorknob made a sound as it was twisted from the outside. Harry had only turned to look at it for a moment since he was more interested by the strange boy in his room than whoever was coming to check on him, but by the time he turned back to face Louis, there was no Louis in the room. 

"Ah, you're awake," said the new man who had just come in. He was dressed in official looking robes, his hair just starting to turn gray with age, and his eyes full of warmth and wisdom. Harry's attention was drawn to the man's forehead where a bright blue arrow was peaking out from his hair. 

"And you are?" 

"I'm Master Jiro and this is one of the Elemental Sanctuaries. I hope we haven't frightened you, young water bender, but don't worry.  
You're safe here." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess this should have been the other half of chapter two, but oh well, too late now! xD


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a bunch of debate and speculation about when Avatar: The Last Airbender could have taken place, but no one has a definitive answer. For this story, I decided that Avatar would have taken place some thousands of years ago. 
> 
> Also, I am only referencing the first Avatar series for the most part, not Legend of Korra, because (even though I love characters like Jinora, Kai, and Opal) I liked the idea that future airbenders would all be related to Aang.

He'd been out for most of the day running from roof to roof, light on his feet and as fast as the breeze when the coast was clear. If a guard or someone who might recognize him walked past, he ducked into an alley or some dark corner until the person was out of sight. Sometimes he even dared to stand right behind someone, twisting out of the way and into the person's blind spot whenever they started looking around. This was good practice. This should be the kind of thing he practiced all the time in his lessons. 

It was late in the afternoon when he headed back toward his room after hours of harmless little pranks on the unaware and eavesdropping on interesting news about the new waterbender he had acquainted himself with. The sky was starting to brighten and turn to brilliant shades of orange and red mixed with some pinks, blues, and purples with the coming sunset when he silently slipped through his own window. 

"Louis."

Louis really hated when Master Jiro used that tone of voice on him. It was still soft, no where near the level of confrontational as one of the Earthbending masters, but it made him flinch just the same with its subtly stern quality. In hind sight, he should've known that he wouldn't get away with sneaking out. He sighed and turned to face the Elder without actually meeting his gaze, his head turned partly to the floor and waiting to receive his reprimand. 

"I'm disappointed in you." 

"Forgive me, Master. I just wanted to..." He didn't even know how to finish that sentence. He just hadn't wanted to meditate actually, have more stupid spiritual lessons on things like how to breathe properly and stay still. He should be practicing how to move faster and evade, rather than how to become a statue. 

"Louis, I know you don't like the more spiritual side to your element, but we must all do our best to uphold our legacies. Yours, as a descendant of the air nomad line, of Avatar Aang, to follow in the foot steps of your ancestors and learn the traditions, the history, _your_ history. It is our duty. At least for now until the day you choose to do what you will with your life." 

Damn it. "Yes, Master..." Louis really wished sometimes that he wasn't an air bender. That he had been born into another elemental line where he didn't have to sit still for hours just breathing and slowly going insane to make his Master happy. He especially wished there were more air benders to go around so Master Jiro could have a better student, but unlike the other elements, Air still suffered from when the line was practically wiped out thousands of years ago. 

It was amazing that there was even any of them left now when Avatar Aang (or whoever) had supposedly been the only one remaining at one point. It was weird to think that must mean he and Master Jiro, and any other airbender for that matter, were somehow related, both descendants from the same Avatar who had once been the last airbender. Assuming that part of history was true of course...Who even knew anymore? It had been too many thousands of years to know for sure in Louis's opinion. 

"I assume you snuck out to meet the new waterbender?" 

"He told you?"

"Not a word. I just know my student." Louis laughed at the kind and knowing smile on Master Jiro's face. There was no use in denying it now. 

"Harry seems nice." 

"Good. I told him you would show him around the rest of the sanctuary tomorrow. A free day from your lessons." Louis beamed at the prospect and he's sure his Master could see it clear as day on his face. "We will return to your training the day after." 

Master Jiro was letting him off the hook. No punishment, just understanding and a little slice of the freedom he had wanted. It was too kind of him really, but Louis would take it. He'd take it and try to repay the kindness by being a better student. He gave a traditional bow in thanks that made his Master nod with approval. "It would be an honor to show him around. I'm guessing you want me to introduce him to the other new arrival too, the firebender?"

"Yes, I think they would both like that, having someone with them who is going through the same experience." 


	5. Chapter 5

"You're actually reading that?" 

Harry looked up from the book in his lap and came face to face with familiar blue and cat-like eyes. And an open window. "Do you ever use the door?"

Louis scoffed, "The door's no fun." He made his way over to Harry who had closed his book to focus on his visitor. He was still cradling his book close though, like it was something precious rather than something Master Jiro had just given him yesterday. Like he did for all their new arrivals. "You really don't need to read that, mate. It's basically a glorified rule and history book." 

"Yeah, well, there's some interesting stuff in it. I know a lot of the basics from class, but there are a few things here that help make everything a bit clearer now."

"Class?" 

"You know, Bending History and Theory?" Louis looked blank and clueless. "It's been required in most high schools for years now..." 

"Well, that explains it then. Never went to high school out there. Didn't think they _had_ any classes on bending unless you lived in one of the sanctuaries. Or go to one of those rare and fancy Bending Academies I've heard about." 

"So you've been here a long time?" There was a stretch of silence where Louis shifted on his feet and looked a bit uncomfortable with the question. Maybe it was a touchy subject. "Nevermind. You don't have to answer that." But Louis shook his head and smiled at him kindly. Harry couldn't help but notice that his eyes still looked a little sad. 

"My mum brought me here when I was little. Thought it was best. I had only been in primary school for a little while." 

Harry probably should have stopped there and let it go. Louis had shared enough, but this was Harry's first time talking to a bender his age and he wanted to know Louis more. "You never thought about leaving or going to visit them?"

"Of course I have. It's not that easy though. It would be a huge security risk if people were allowed to come and go all the time. Visitors are allowed in more often than letting us out so my family comes to see me. Or they used to. I haven't seen them in a while... Anyway, I can't leave. This is the safest place we'll ever be. It's home."

"Home, huh? All right. I'm sorry about your family..." 

Louis laughed at him. "Not like it's your fault, Curly." He came to sit beside Harry on his bed, peering at him with curious eyes that made Harry blush under their scrutiny. "Have any other questions for me before I take you on the grand old tour?"

"No, I'm fine. Thanks." His answer made Louis study him more intently. There was an odd look of curiosity now mixed with confusion on his face. 

"You're a strange one. Most newbies have a good cry or panic attack. There was even one guy who broke the window once during his breakdown. Got glass everywhere and ended up accidentally cutting himself on it later. At the very least, the person always asks when they can leave and see their family or friends again."

This time Harry was the one who was uncomfortable. How had Louis even answered him before? He couldn't imagine telling someone he just met about how he was feeling, how he was in no hurry to go home. He wasn't ready to face the reality of everyone's reaction now that people would know he was a waterbender. His friends and family, everyone would know. Louis brought a hand up to his shoulder and squeezed in reassurance. 

"It's okay, Harry. I get it. This won't make a difference to the people who really care about you." Louis said it with such conviction that Harry was sure it was true. He just wasn't sure all the people he cared about in his life actually cared enough about him to accept his secret. Maybe they hated him, were angry with him for keeping them in the dark for so long. Even worse, maybe they were afraid of him now. 

He had been drowning in his thoughts when Louis gave him a pat on the back and stood up. Louis smiled as if nothing happened, only the hint of concern and understanding shining in his eyes let Harry know it had been real. "Let's go, yeah? I'm sure you'd like to see places besides your room." Louis held out a hand to him, palm up, that Harry readily accepted so Louis could help pull him up to his feet. Time to see the sanctuary. Time to have some distractions. He squeezed Lou's hand in thanks and Louis squeezed back before letting go. Harry glanced at the still open window.

"Are we going out that way?"

Louis laughed at the nervousness in his voice and gestured toward the door. "Just this once, Curly, I'll make an exception for you." 

________________________________________

Louis smirked every time he saw the wide-eyed look of awe and surprise on his face. The sanctuary was a lot bigger than Harry thought it would be. When he read about them and heard the stories, he always imagined a tiny compound with average housing and some courtyard areas for training. He imagined simple buildings without much color or distinction, homes built for functionality rather than comfort or design. He imagined solemnity in the narrow streets. He couldn't have been more wrong. 

Buildings came in many colors, most notably blue, green, and red, but also mixed in with some yellows, oranges, blacks, and whites. A good number of the buildings had either been built with beautiful designs with things like sweeping roofs and intricate railings, or had been painted with patterns. Harry's favorite was a tall building that looked all black until it caught the sunlight just right and transformed the building's walls into a canvas revealing complex patterns in gold painted all around its exterior. He had been staring at it when Louis pointed down a busy street filled with people and music.

"Down there's the market. You can get all sorts of things there. They have amazing food, some you'd know about and some traditional ones under each of the old elemental nations. Not to mention clothes and some training gear. They also have some trinkets and toys for the little kids. I got my airbender robes from there. Master Jiro came with me to pick them out." 

Louis stayed by his side diligently now after he realized Harry, non-airbender that he is, couldn't possibly keep up with him when he weaved through the crowd so quickly. They made their way through the crowded walkways as people went from stand to stand, each of them brightly colored and having incredible items on display. Harry found it amazing how the cultures and even the times seemed to blend together here. There was an obvious fire nation stand on the left with the majority of wares in red and black across from an earth kingdom stand on the right with items in varying shades of brown and green. He could see how the clothing in each had a different design. There were even modern clothes like simple t-shirts and jeans mixed in with much more ornate robes. 

Harry ended up standing still for too long taking it all in and ended up having someone bump into his side. The person was quickly walking away, but he turned his head back to apologize before he disappeared. "Is it always this crowded?" 

"No, I think today was a new shipment day. That's usually when this place is swarmed over. Kids drag their parents out for new toys. Students try to get new gear and school supplies. Especially if they've run out. Chefs come to get the freshest ingredients they can find. There's a whole bunch of reasons." Harry nodded at him and looked around. He turned back to Louis to ask a question and realized his tour guide had disappeared. 

Harry was just starting to panic when he spotted Louis in his bright robes making his way back toward him by jumping over the crowd, rooftop to rooftop. Harry could have had a heart attack when he jumped down, but Louis landed lightly on his feet back by his side. Of course, Louis was an airbender. He ought to remember that. There was some bag with stick things popping out in his hand. 

"What are those?"

"Some of my favorites from the stand back there. I thought you might be hungry." He handed Harry a stick with some shapeless blob of food at the end of it. Harry assumed it was food because he didn't know what the hell it was. Louis ate his easily though so Harry tried it out. Louis laughed at Harry's wide eyes as he chewed and swallowed. 

"Oh my god, what is this? It's great!"

"I have no idea." Louis laughed again, tears almost spilling over at the expression on Harry's face. Harry shoved him, realizing Louis had been joking, before taking another bite. "It's squid, apparently. I have some corn too if you want. I usually just get one because it's massive." He pulled out another stick this time with a huge corn cob skewered through it and took a bite. 

"I love sweetcorn." 

"Good, knock yourself out. Just be careful because those bastard kernels love to get stuck in your teeth." He handed a giggling Harry the corn before they started walking again. "This way, yeah? There's still a lot more to see." 


	6. Chapter 6

Louis took him all around the sanctuary. Well, all the areas of lesser importance that he was allowed to be in as a new comer who hadn't pledged his loyalty yet. Master Jiro had sat down with Harry yesterday to talk to him about his options, advise him. Harry could leave if he really wanted to, but then the sanctuary and all the people in it could do little to help him. The cops might come after him again once he left and, although Harry was sure he would be released eventually since he didn't really break any laws, he wasn't sure he could handle life as someone much of the public outside had learned to fear and even hate. He also worried that no one he cared about would be looking for him, waiting for him, on the other side of the sanctuary walls. Maybe living here was what he needed, a fresh start among people like him.

"Louis," Harry interrupted his tour guide's long winding description of the newly built sanctuary theaters with its mostly average movies and to-die-for popcorn, "you said members can have visitors, right?" If there really was someone on the other side of those walls, worrying about him...

"Yeah. It's a long process with a lot of rules and you'd have to become an actual member of the sanctuary first with the pledge, induction, and shit, but you can have visitors. If you're a good writer you can send out letters too." Louis frowned. "Thought about doing that for a while, but it didn't sit well with me that security reads through all the mail. They have to check of course for dangerous information exchange and whatnot, but it still kind of sucks." 

"All right, thanks." If someone was waiting for him, it would be possible to see them, make contact with them. Maybe not right away, but that was fine. Harry needed some time to himself anyway. 

"No problem. Does this mean you're actually thinking about staying?" Louis looked genuinely interested, maybe a bit happy. Harry smiled at the idea that he found a friend here in Louis already. 

"Yeah, Master Jiro told me I could be inducted as soon as they finish their security check and I give them the go ahead. You know, tell them I want to stay." 

"I thought you'd freak out more about the fact they're looking up a fuck-ton of files and information on you right now," Louis scoffed.

"It _is_ kind of weird, but I get why they're doing it.  
They need to keep everyone safe." 

________________________

Harry had thought the market had been amazing (and it _was_ ), but the training compound was even better. He hadn't realized there were that many benders here until he saw them with his own eyes doing countless drills in a cluster of courtyards. He was so mesmerized that he forgot his fear from when Louis dragged him onto the roof of the training area's central building to get a better look. There were eight circular courtyards in total with barriers inbetween to show their separation. The courtyards were arranged into two separate rings of four, an inner ring and an outer ring so it looked kind of like a flower if Harry spun around to see them all. Louis had to grab onto his arm to keep him from tripping and falling off the roof as he spun.

"Careful, mate," he smiled at Harry's slightly hysterical giggling. Partly because he was obviously still afraid of falling off the roof and the other part being because he was high off seeing the training courtyards for the first time. Louis remembered being giggly his first time seeing them from here too. He made a needless gesture toward the rings Harry was already looking at. "So those are the training rings. At least one for each element and then we have extras for weapons and physical combat training or for when we have advanced and specialized lessons going on at the same time as the regular ones. And sometimes they're used for other reasons like performances or whatever else they get permission for." 

"There are so many of you." There was a large group of firebenders off to his left, a similar group of earthbenders lifting rocks to his right, a handful of airbenders flying around on their gliders and running along the wall barriers of the training rings, and waterbenders in the ring directly in front of him. They were all streaming water right now, performing what looked like a regular group exercise if the beautiful synchronicity was any clue. 

"We have a pretty big group because there aren't that many bending sanctuaries in England. Only two including this one, so if people join it's either here or our sister sanctuary. I guess whichever one is closest to them makes the most difference in their choice." Louis grabbed at Harry's waist then, pulled him close, and held him tight. Harry slung an arm around his shoulders and held on, knowing what was coming. "Right, time to get down. Don't panic." 

"I'm not panicking," Harry said, the sudden increased strength of his hold suggesting otherwise and making Louis smirk. He could've laughed at the way Harry exhaled on their way down, cushioned by a little vortex of air Louis created at the very bottom. He just let the boy go though. There would be plenty of opportunities to tease him later if the waterbender was really planning to stay. 

"Come on, Curly. The formal afternoon lessons are almost over and I want to introduce you to some people." That's when the bell went off to signal the end of the lessons, perfect timing. Harry followed him, walking through the doorways of the central building and ending up on the other side where the earthbending students were clearing out. Harry could just make out someone already standing toward the center and another person coming through the doorway of the barrier at the farthest side of the training ring to meet up with the person in the middle. 

The closer they got to the others, the more intimidated Harry became. The stranger in the very center was bulky, muscular, the strength in his arms especially evident as he stood with them crossed over his chest. A slimmer guy beside the first had tattoos covering the majority of his right arm, a piercing in each ear. But then Louis called to them and the two strangers turned toward his voice, noticed him, and smiled warmly. Harry couldn't believe how their smiles, their eyes crinkling at the corners, made the two strangers so much more approachable. He almost froze in his tracks before Louis nudged him forward. 

"Guys, this is the new waterbender I'm showing around today. Harold, this big muscly earthbender is Liam and the one with the tattoos is Zayn, new firebender." Harry had been trying to shake off his sudden sense of deja vu when Liam held out his hand first to shake. His grip was just as strong as Harry suspected it would be. 

"Nice to meet you, Harold. Hope Louis here hasn't been driving you too crazy." 

"It's Harry actually, and Lou's fine," he smiled, "Nice to meet you too." 

The tattooed one came a little closer then, having been standing a bit behind Liam. "I'm Zayn." Hearing the firebender's name for the second time sent Harry a definite wave of deja vu that suddenly clicked a certain memory in place. Zayn hesitated as he seemed to notice the look of realization on Harry's face. 

Zayn Malik. The firebender on the news. The one who lost control and sent his house up in flames just a while ago in Bradford. The one who was arrested for putting his family in danger. He was here, a part of the sanctuary, probably brought over by the same members who rescued Harry just the other day. Zayn's arm was extended for a handshake. 

Harry hated the thoughts that ran through his head wondering whether Zayn would lose control again mid-handshake and burn him if he accepted the firebender's greeting. He hesitated a bit too long and hated himself for it when he saw Zayn slowly pulling his hand back, looking uncomfortable. Harry forced himself to suck it up and grabbed at Zayn's hand before he could pull it away. Zayn just stared at him in shock. "Nice to meet you, Zayn." The firebender nodded at him and Harry made sure to smile back and not to drop his hand like he was afraid because that wouldn't be fair. He hoped Zayn noticed his effort and appreciated it. 

Louis broke the slightly awkward silence. "Well, I'm sure we'll all get along swimmingly now, won't we lads?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We'll start getting into some more actual plot developments soon so I hope you can bear with me. :)


	7. Chapter 7

There was awkward silence as they sat and watched Louis helping Liam through some training exercise where he fought blindfolded. Harry tried to distract himself from the deafening quiet between him and the firebender beside him by trying to remember what the training exercise was supposed to be for. _Seismic sense._ That's right, seeing using earthbending. Liam must be a pretty good bender then if he can do that, even if Louis managed to hit him and evade his attacks quite a lot. It must be a relatively new skill Liam had learned then.

None of these thoughts was really helping him to tune out the presence of Zayn sitting beside him. He wondered if the firebender was bothered with the silence too, but he seemed pretty quiet and reserved. Maybe the quiet was normal to him, preferable even. Especially after what Harry had so stupidly done.

"Hey..." Harry spoke up, not able to keep quiet any longer. He hesitated again though when Zayn turned his head a little to look at him. He had been so stupid. "I'm sorry about before with the handshake thing...I didn't mean to."

"It's okay. You're not the first one to recognize me here actually. Besides, you still accepted my handshake." Harry was left staring in disbelief as Zayn turned his attention back on a sparring Louis and Liam at the center of the courtyard as if what Harry had done had been nothing. He shouldn't be forgiven so easily. Harry wanted to say more, but he'd already apologized and it seemed like Zayn had already forgiven him too. 

"Are you planning to stay here and become an official member?" Zayn didn't look at him for a while, his eyes still watching the training match between Liam and Louis. Harry wondered if his question had been the wrong topic to move on to, but then Zayn finally turned to him. Not just a slight turn of the head either, but his whole body shifted to face him. 

"Yeah...I think so," Zayn said. He looked thoughtful, but Harry could see the worry and sadness lingering faintly in his eyes too. He was probably worried about the same things Harry was - his family, friends, the police. And of course, how everyone would react to knowing he was a firebender. Zayn didn't have to tell him any of that for Harry to know it was true, that they had those things in common. "What about you?"

"I think staying is the best option right now, you know? To get to be around people who understand and won't judge. Somewhere new where you don't have to hide and you can get a fresh start." Zayn nodded in agreement and slowly but surely, they began talking about other things. They each became so absorbed in their conversation and knowing someone who was also a new arrival that they didn't notice the change in Louis and Liam's lowered voices. The playful taunts had stopped. 

________________________

Liam was still quite new at using his seismic sense, but minutes into Louis and his training spar, he felt a faint presence just on the outer edges of his reach. It was different from Harry and Zayn who sat talking quite a ways away in this courtyard and it definitely was not Louis who was working his way around him and getting in far too many smacks. It faded in and out of his range as he moved around trying to dodge Louis's attacks, but this was something else. 

Liam hadn't been sure for a while, especially since he was blindfolded and couldn't look over to check, but he was quite certain now what it was. "Louis," he said under his breath, making a subtle gesture with his head to the left and calling Louis's attention to something it seemed he was not surprised by. He must have already spotted it. 

"I know, Li." There was an Elder by the side of the central building who seemed to be having a discussion with some messenger who'd come out of nowhere, an official security messenger rather than a civil one. This was supposed to be an infrequent and rare occurrence to witness, but Liam had picked up on how suddenly frequent it had become lately. This was the third time this week and the week had barely started. Even more worrying was when Louis thought about how many more of these secret Elder-and-messenger conversations they _hadn't_ noticed. 

"Have you heard anything?" Liam asked, still blindfolded and trying to monitor the conversation happening with the Elder as well as pretend to fight Louis so no one else would notice their suspicion if they walked past. Louis was going too easy on him now so they could focus on the Elder. "You have to keep fighting me, Louis." A moment later and he was smacked on the side of his head before he could block it. Better.

"Master Jiro hasn't said a word. Neither have any of the other Elders, but whatever it is with all these secret messages, it can't be good." In his distraction, Liam blocked his roundhouse kick and tripped him on the way down. Louis barely managed to catch himself from falling over. "Dammit, you're actually getting better at this." Liam smirked and finally turned his full attention to taking Louis down as the elder and messenger faded out of his sensing range and left. 

He really hoped it was nothing.

________________________

Once the sparring was over and the group sat talking for a bit, Louis insisted he and Harry leave so he could show Harry around a little more. Apparently Louis wanted to take him up to the roof of one of those tall buildings to see the sunset. Liam was trying to convince Louis to take him somewhere else though.

"You haven't even taken him to see the cultural center," Liam protested. "They have a bunch of cool things in there." Louis just scoffed at him. 

"I'm sure Harry doesn't want to be bored to death with history when he's just gotten here. His master will probably have him go there once he's assigned anyway." 

Liam shook his head with disapproval and sighed as he stared Louis down. Harry had to stop himself from laughing at how much that made Liam look like a father. Louis didn't even look bothered; it was obviously something that happened between them a lot. "Fine, but if not. I'll take you there sometime, Harry." 

"Thanks, that's nice of you to offer." Maybe the cultural center would be like the bigger version of the set-up he had in his Bending History and Theory classroom. He found he had enjoyed that enough when he had managed to forget he was a secret bender in a class that talked all about his kind's abilities, history, and treatment in society. Maybe it could be fun. Louis interrupted his thoughts, his voice teasing.

"Don't thank him, he's a boring tour guide. Just ask Zayn who didn't get to have any ambiguously shaped squid and gigantic sweetcorn cobs on sticks or stand on rooftops. The poor lad was drowned in history, protocol, and rules." Liam scowled at him and Harry couldn't help snickering at the smile on Zayn's face. 

"I liked your tour, Liam." Zayn said charitably, standing by Liam's side and still not disagreeing with Louis's statement of his tour giving skills. So Zayn was being nice, but he wasn't about to lie and say the cultural center was the best thing ever. Liam smiled at him regardless and let the little jab at his tour skills go. 

"Go on then and have fun," Liam said to Harry before turning to lock eyes with Lou, "Just be careful and keep an eye out, yeah?"

Louis nodded at him and Harry wondered if he imagined that the airbender's eyes turned serious even though his teasing smile hadn't changed. "Got it. See you guys later." 

So he and Louis left and Louis gave him another heart attack by dragging him up onto the roof of that tall black building Harry had admired earlier that day. The heart attack going up and coming back down was worth it though to see the sunset that painted the sky as colorfully as the sanctuary buildings, market square, and people. 

When Louis brought him back to his room at the end of the day, he found he fell asleep easier than he ever would have believed was possible. That night his dreams were free of nightmares and fear, instead filling with hope, a crowded market with squid and sweetcorn, and decorated buildings with painted symbols. He dreamed of new friends, a new life, and of a sky of blue, orange, yellow, purple, red, and pink that faded to stars in a field of black shining through his opened window. 

_"Good night, Curly."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this chapter has taken so long to post. :/
> 
> I knew what I wanted to write and had the outline down, but I haven't had the time to write it all out until just recently because school sucks. I'll try to post the next chapter sooner.
> 
> P.S. Niall lovers, do not worry. I haven't forgotten about him, promise.   
> He shall be introduced soon. :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like these chapters are steadily getting longer. o_0   
> Oh, well. Lol, I told you I'd update the next chapter sooner!

A week had passed since Harry was brought here before he'd finally passed his clearance check and become an official sanctuary member. The whole induction ceremony hadn't been a big deal at all, though it had been a little intimidating to stand there in front of Elders and Masters taking an oath of loyalty and being formally informed of the rules. That ceremony had just happened yesterday and Harry couldn't believe it really. He'd be meeting his assigned Master today for his very first waterbending lesson and he couldn't stop thinking about it. It had started to make him anxious.

"You all right there, Harry?" Zayn asked and Harry turned to see Liam had briefly stopped his meditation to look at him too. The two of them were far too observant. He opened his mouth to speak up and say he's fine before Louis spoke, not even looking at him as he twirled his practice glider in his palms by the courtyard tree where Liam sat.

"He's just worried because he's going to have his first waterbending lesson today and meet his Master." Okay, maybe _Louis_ really was the observant one, at least when it came to him. Harry just stared as the airbender mindlessly and effortlessly went through his drills, firing off seamless blasts of air every which way, including into Liam's face. He wondered if Louis had ever been nervous for his first lesson.

"I'm sure you'll be fine, Harry. You're a beginner so your Master isn't going to expect you to be an expert already. They're supposed to help you, that's what they're there for," Liam reasoned, closing his eyes again and obviously resolving to ignore Louis. That was true and it helped Harry feel a little better, but not by much.

Zayn looked at him though in understanding, biting his lip. "We'll be fine, Harry." Zayn was going to have his first lesson today too, but he had seemed unbothered by that and free of nerves until now. Louis left his practice glider leaning by the tree and on top of a meditating Liam's head before he came over and slung an arm across Zayn's shoulders in reassurance. He looked Harry in the eyes with confidence the waterbender didn't feel.

"You'll both be fine," he said before he neatly dodged the glider that flew at the back of his head, fully expecting it and laughing. "You see what I have to deal with? I've been putting up with Liam for years." He grabbed at his glider and turned to see Liam finally gave up on resuming his meditation with Louis around.

"More like the other way around, mate," he countered, dusting himself off and standing up to make his way toward them.

"Fine, we've been putting up with _each other_ for years. Lighten up, you earth chucker." Liam looked quite irritated, but then Louis nudged him gently with the end of his glider and the earthbender smiled.

"You're unbelievable, Tomlinson." Liam said, chuckling and shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't believe I put up with your shit. Sometimes I feel like I ought to punch you." Harry could tell Liam was joking, but it still seemed strange to see him and Lou together. They were obviously friends and yet they also so obviously got on each other's nerves. They were quite different, but maybe everything wasn't in black and white.

"Kind of makes sense though doesn't it? Air and Earth are pretty opposite from each other. Air being all carefree, evasive, and wild while Earth is grounded, forward, and disciplined," Harry piped up without meaning to. Louis turned to him and smirked.

"Yeah, yeah. Been reading your book more then, have you, Harry?" Harry blushed at Louis's knowing grin. He _had_ been reading his book, especially in preparation for today. Liam thankfully interrupted that line of thinking before Harry could wander too deep into an anxiety induced panic.

"Louis here can be a pain, but like Elder Rowan says, we can always learn from the other elemental benders. If not personality wise, then bending wise," Liam ruffled the airbender's hair and Louis immediately frowned at him, unamused. "I have this lad to thank for being lighter on my feet."

"And I can thank Liam here for all the times he's forced his discipline on me. Ugh, responsibilities." Liam whacked Louis with his own glider and put him in a headlock. "Ow! I mean _thank you Liam_ for helping me discover all the more defensive and aggressive styles I incorporated into my airbending. Now let go of me."

Zayn and Harry just watched on in amusement as Louis struggled in Liam's grasp and blew wind in his face before the earthbender finally decided to let go. These two were somehow the perfect distraction from their nervousness today.

"Anyway, let's hope you aren't too right about the rules of getting along, Curly, because Water and Fire definitely don't mix."

"I think Harry and I will be all right," Zayn said, his words taking on more than one meaning as he turned to look at Harry with a smile that didn't seem so nervous anymore. "Maybe once we start our training, you could teach me a thing or two like Louis taught Liam."

"Yeah...maybe." Harry smiled back, trying to swallow down the last bit of butterflies in his stomach. He was pretty sure if anyone was going to learn from the other, _he'd_ be the one learning from Zayn.

_________________________________

Master Jiro had been meditating when there was a knock at his door. It was precisely ten at night and, if the people at his door were who Master Jiro believed them to be, they were right on time. "Come in," he called as he rose from his spot on the clear floor to face his two visitors.

The man came in first, dressed mostly in black uniform with a plain red band tied round his waist. His eyes were as dark as his clothes and his cut-short hair. He walked with purpose and surety, his back straight and arms securely at his side. He clasped his hands behind his back as he came to a stop. The woman came in after him, her walk fluid and graceful, not a single strand of long brown hair coming out of place. Her robes were colorful in contrast to the man's uniform, all elegant and flowing and in shifting shades of blue that matched her eyes.

"Master Azriel and Master Haruko, thank you for coming."

"As I always say, no need to be so formal, Jiro. At least not when we're off duty," Azriel said, his relatively neutral face falling into a slight frown at the formality. Haruko didn't hesitate for a second with her reasoning.

"It's meant as his sign of respect toward us and our titles, Azriel. You know that. Any informality on his part is reserved for special occasions and circumstances."

"Hmmph, a long time friend should not be formal with us when we're off duty."

Haruko sighed at Azriel's stubbornness and tried to move the conversation along, imploring him with her eyes. "This is an old argument. Please, can we just put that aside for now and focus on why we're here." Azriel nodded as he and Haruko turned to face the airbender in the room.

"First, I would like to know about your new students, Zayn and Harry. How are they?"

Jiro blinked at the rare look of pride on Azriel's face at the mention of his new pupil. "Zayn truly is a rarity. I've never met a firebender who's so centered. Many of my students depended on rage in the beginning, but Zayn seems different. He _must_ have a firebender temper hidden deep down somewhere, but for the most part, he's calm." The firebender looked intrigued. They all knew just how difficult it had been for Azriel to get past fueling his fire with rage when he had been young. "Zayn guides flame with wonder and gentleness, rather than trying to overpower and lash out with it. I can't believe he ever lost control at his home because he is a prodigy if ever there was one. Then again...I suppose he might have had reason to lose control." The man looked troubled at that. They all did.

"And Harry, Master Haruko?"

The waterbender turned thoughtful, considering her wording. "Harry is hesitant. He must have been aware of his abilities for so long, been so afraid of using them that even now he doesn't feel at ease to unleash his potential. He struggles, but I know he'll do well in time. He has the heart and mindset of a true water bender."

Jiro nodded at that. He had long ago learned to trust in Haruko's intuition and judgment. Harry would be just fine. "It is good to hear that the two of them seem to be adjusting well. I wasn't so sure they would."

"You worry too much, Jiro." Azriel said, though the man still looked a bit worried himself.

"No, he worries just enough, especially considering the circumstances. Leaving your old life behind is already a difficult task and those boys have been through even more." Haruko turned to face Jiro with anxious eyes. He knew what she was going to ask. It was exactly why he'd called them here. "...Has there been any more news?"

"I'm afraid so. It seems we were right about Zayn and Harry and I have been told that it's happening again."

Fire grew in Haruko's eyes, her protective instincts kicking in again as if every bender, every _person_ rather, was someone she had to protect. "We'll have to convince the others to send out more teams and help them then."

"But there are far too many for that method to be effective," Azriel argued, his voice taking on an even more serious tone than usual. Jiro became wary at this. Haruko was often flexible and the buffer between Azriel's hotheadedness and others, but this entire conversation was very delicate and the two seemed to be heading for a disagreement.

"Then what do you suggest?" She countered, her tone still even as she was open to possible solutions.

"We need to find the source and devise a plan to put an end to it. Perhaps even involve our sister sanctuary if that's what it takes."

"Violence isn't the answer, Azriel," Jiro implored, lapsing into informality in the hopes that it would be seen as an appeal to the firebender. His friend barely seemed to notice his attempt and continued with his evaluation even as his eyes softened just a bit at the corners.

"It doesn't seem like we'll have much choice if this continues. You and I both know what's happening, Jiro. And so do you, Haruko. It's only going to get worse from here."

"Then we'll have to hold a meeting soon with the entire counsel in order to have a full discussion on the matter." Haruko sighed, sounding more tired than either Azriel or Jiro had heard her in a very long time. "We need to do something."

"We _will,_ Haruko," Jiro said, clasping her shoulder in reassurance. She needed that, some informality tonight would be fine. "I'll send out a request tonight for a counsel meeting at the earliest opportunity." He turned his gaze toward Azriel still standing tall and dutifully by the waterbender's side. "Until then, we should keep this quiet. No need to start a panic." The firebender nodded without argument and Haruko agreed, gently clasping Jiro's hand on her shoulder in thanks before releasing him and stepping back.

"I'll escort her home, Jiro. Do not worry." Azriel said, his arm slipping around Haruko's back in familiarity. The airbender often escorted her home when she came to see him, but that would be impractical since Azriel was here this time. Jiro nodded at him in agreement with his offer.

"I don't need an escort...but thank you. I'll be glad of your company."

"Then goodnight to the both of you." Jiro bowed to his friends and held the door open for them on their way out. Azriel frowned at him again for his needless formality, but said nothing except to bid him goodnight as well. Jiro was quite certain though as his friends left that neither he nor they would have a particularly good night at all.


	9. Chapter 9

"I'm sorry Harry, but I have an urgent meeting to attend to with the other Elders and Masters. Rather than canceling your training session entirely, I would like you to practice on your own with these." Master Haruko gingerly pulled out rolled up and decorated pieces of parchment from the box beside her. Harry balked in realization. 

"Waterbending scrolls." 

"Yes, use these for now." 

"But I...they're delicate." Master Haruko looked at him, not understanding his point. Harry shifted his weight from side to side feeling uncomfortable. "I'm not sure you giving them to me is a good idea. I'm a tad clumsy." His Master just looked at him kindly, her smile full of trust that Harry didn't feel he'd earned yet. His friends had once said he often walked like a newborn deer on wobbly legs he didn't know how to use. 

"I'm sure you'll be fine, Harry. I had been planning to get these laminated, but haven't been able to yet. So if you get them wet, just bend out the water before it ruins the ink." 

****

 _Don't get them wet. Don't get them wet._ No pressure or anything really. Harry had just barely been able to get the hang of streaming water for an extended period of time without being hyped up on adrenaline. Now he was attempting to copy the movements depicted in a scroll's beautifully drawn artwork for a well-known move called the Water Whip.

This was a horrible idea. 

"All right, this doesn't look too difficult," Harry said, holding the scroll open inelegantly in front of his face, speaking to himself and hoping saying it out loud would make it true. "I've just got to stream some water first and shift my weight through the stances like Master Haruko said. Whatever that means." He placed the scroll gingerly on the ground and took as many steps back as he could while still managing to make sense of the step-by-step moves inside. 

He could do this. It couldn't be that difficult so Harry took a deep breath and concentrated on streaming the water out of the training pool beside him. That step had been easy and so had the next when he shifted the streamed water to his other side. It was only when he tried to redirect the water back where it had come from to make the actual whip that it all went wrong. He hit himself in the face and his ruined concentration resulted in him dropping all the water he had been streaming. Well, fuck. 

It was fine. He'd just try again. The water didn't even make it to his other side before he ended up dropping it on the second try. The third try ended up with him hitting himself in the face again, dropping the water, and losing his balance so he fell over. "Ugh, ow." Harry sat up and started dusting himself off to try again. He clumsily scraped his palm on a rock, a fucking rock, when he tried to stand up. So now he was bleeding and dust covered and no where near being able to do the Water Whip. Great.

Harry stared at his hand, the little bits of red leaking out of his palm seeming to mock him and his waterbending attempts. He'd heard people around him talking about how Liam was training under a second Master now for some specialized lessons, how the Elders were debating whether or not to give Louis his arrow tattoos since he clearly mastered the art of airbending minus the spirituality, and even Zayn seemed to have an obvious talent for firebending though he was still a beginner. Harry used his uninjured hand to pull a tiny ball of water from the training pool toward him to rest over the scrape on his palm and help wash off the blood. 

Harry was proud of his new friends and their bending accomplishments. Louis and Liam's had even been years in the making, so of course Harry was happy for them. He just wished he could do a bit more than stream some water. He closed his eyes and sighed as he realized he had so much catching up to do, he had to keep trying. His eyes flew open though when he felt an unexpected tingle in his injured palm. Harry let the water in his hand drop away only to see unmarred skin underneath. There was no blood, no scrape. Of course there hadn't been much blood to begin with and the water would have washed it all off, but his scrape should still be bleeding. His scrape should still be _there._ It wasn't.

"What..." Harry stared at his hand in disbelief. He was still trying to work out what he'd done or if he was just going crazy and there had been no scrape to begin with, when he heard someone calling him. Zayn. 

"Hey, Harry. You all right?" The firebender looked concerned that Harry was sitting on the ground alone, his gaze fixated on his palm. 

Harry stumbled back to his feet. "Uh, yeah. I was just trying to practice some waterbending." He forgot about his hand and gestured to the scrolls next to him. He was glad the scrolls didn't look damaged yet despite his failures so far. 

"Oh, what move are you doing?" Zayn came to stand beside him and stared down at the scroll on the ground before he decided to pick it up and hold it toward his face to see. His eyes lit up and he looked intrigued at the artwork inside. "These scrolls are amazing." 

"Yeah. I'm trying to do the Water Whip," Harry said, "but it's kind of hard and Master Haruko's not here to help."

"Maybe I can help then. I'll hold the scrolls open for you." Zayn offered, taking a step back and holding the paper up already. "Try again." 

Harry did and again it failed, but Zayn stood there patiently watching him, holding the scroll and encouraging him to keep trying. They stayed that way for a while, until Harry's hair was soaking with a mix of sweat and water that broke over his head in his numerous attempts to bend it. He had to admit that he wasn't making much progress at all. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong." 

Zayn's eyes scanned over the scroll and considered Harry's waterbending form as he failed at making the Water Whip again. "Hmm...try to make your hands more steady and you can do it slow in the beginning you know. Also, try to _flow_ more from step to step. Don't be choppy." Well, that weirdly seemed to make some sense.

"Like this?" Harry tried to take Zayn's advice and he got farther, but the water still broke before he got to the actual whip part. Harry knew he was quite a patient person, but even he was getting a little frustrated at this point. 

Zayn frowned at him, his eyes looking thoughtful. "Sort of. Here, I think I've got it." Zayn put the scroll back down on the ground and came by his side. He grabbed at Harry's wrists without hesitation and guided him through the motions. Harry tried to pay attention, but he felt a bit caught off guard. This was closer than he ever thought he'd be to Zayn and he ended up staring at a strange mark on the side of Zayn's neck that caught his eye. He didn't get much of a chance to try and determine whether or not it was a birthmark before the firebender finally let him go. "All right, try it with water again. I'll do the moves beside you this time and you just try to copy me, yeah? Remember, steady hands and flowing movement." 

"Right...steady hands and flowing movement." Harry found it strange to waterbend while copying Zayn next to him. It was even stranger when it sunk in that Zayn actually looked quite at home with waterbending without the water, going through all the motions. It was the strangest though when Harry finally managed to redirect the water back where it came from and do the Water Whip right this time. He blinked in surprise, his words full of disbelief. "I did it." Harry's brain seemed to short-circuit as he tried to understand how that happened. 

"That was perfect, Harry." Zayn beamed at him, looking insanely proud and happy for him as he reverted back to his regular stance. "I knew you could do it." 

Harry's thoughts were flying, all of them making his head hurt and feel like fireworks were going off. "Zayn, you're a firebender," Harry said, dumbstruck. Zayn, a firebender, had helped him waterbend. It didn't make sense. "How did you even know what to do?"

"I did art a lot." 

That certainly hadn't been what Harry was expecting Zayn to say. Maybe he'd heard him wrong. "Sorry, what?" 

Zayn started to turn a little red and fidgety, his hand rubbing at his neck by that strange mark as if he was embarrassed. "I used to draw a lot and I still do sometimes. Those are things you kind of learn to do when you draw because every little detail and hand movement can change how the drawing comes out. I just thought maybe it would work for you...it helped me with my firebending a little and water emphasizes flow a lot more so, yeah." 

_Steady hands and flowing movement._ Well, then... "You must be a great artist." 

Zayn shrugged, looking toward the ground and kicking at a loose rock, his hands in his pockets. "Nah, mostly cartoons and some tagging. Nothing major, but it helped me. Was fun." 

Harry nodded at him, but then shook his head a minute later, a grin appearing on his face. "If your art is anything like your bending, then I'll bet you're better than you say." Zayn just smiled at him, not answering. Speaking of his friend's firebending made Harry realize something. "Wait a minute, Zayn, aren't you supposed to be at your firebending lesson?"

"No, that's rescheduled since all the Masters have some meeting today. It must be pretty serious because almost everyone's lessons have been canceled actually. That's why Liam and Louis sent me here to come get you. Said something about wanting to take us somewhere."

Harry was sure he turned bug-eyed, his voice exasperated at Zayn's nonchalance. "What? You didn't say anything about that! What time were we supposed to meet them?"

"One o'clock." The firebender looked completely at ease, unconcerned and not understanding Harry's reaction. 

"Zayn, it's nearly half past one." 

Zayn's eyelashes fluttered as he blinked, his forehead creasing in thought. Harry gave him a minute to realize what he was saying and knew that Zayn understood the problem when he suddenly frowned. "Oh."

Harry sighed, laughing. "Now I know why you're always late to everything. We ought to get you a watch." 

"I have one." Harry tried not to explode into complete laughter as he moved on to suggesting a watch with an alarm then. Zayn stayed quiet, smiling and letting Harry laugh at his expense as they gathered up the scrolls so they could meet with a waiting Louis and Liam.

Harry didn't even think about the missing scrape on his hand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter became longer than I thought which made me decide to move other events into the next chapter which I will try to update soon.
> 
>  **To anyone who cares about author's notes:** I really want to write faster because I want to get more stuff down before I forget, but I've got a load of school projects and exams to study for. In other words, it might be a couple weeks until the next chapter which sucks for me too because I really want to write. I just don't have a lot of time right now. :(
> 
> Also, I plan on going back over previous chapters as I update to fix up any mistakes and maybe add more to chapters that were vague. Just letting you know so if any of you do go back and see some changes, you're not going crazy I promise. 
> 
> And as always, kudos and comments will be much appreciated so I can get some feedback and improve. Do you like longer chapters? Shorter chapters? Do you like when the boys have moments all together more or some one-on-one? How are the world building, plot, original characters, and character development going for you? Etc. :)


	10. Chapter 10

When Harry and Zayn finally met up with the others, Liam and Louis looked quite restless and excited. It was pretty bizarre. The two boys commented on their tardiness, but there was no sharpness behind their words. In fact, the minute Louis and Liam had come into their sight, they could see how distracted the boys were and how their eyes seemed to glow. It threw Zayn and Harry for a loop. 

"Right, we're all here now. Let's go, lads." Louis immediately sprang up to the top of the nearest building, looking fully prepared to travel that way from rooftop to rooftop. "Anyone else want to come up this way?" 

Liam just raised his eyebrow up at the airbender and decided to stick to walking on the ground. The earthbender turned to ask Harry and Zayn whether or not they wanted to take Louis up on his offer, but then he saw their faces and laughed. "I think we're all fine down here, Lou." 

"Boring," Louis scoffed. "Fine, have fun walking!" Louis looked prepared to launch himself to the next rooftop when Zayn called up to him.

"But you're walking up there too."

"There's a difference, Zayn." Louis smirked and soon moved onto the next building. Harry wondered why he didn't just use his glider instead, but maybe Louis thought rooftop jumping was more fun. Liam walked off in the same direction as Louis in the next moment and Harry and Zayn followed them both.

They walked in silence for a while since Zayn was quiet anyway, Liam seemed to be caught up in his happiness, and their usual source of loudness in the group was currently jumping too high up off the ground like a crazy person. Or an airbender. Same thing really, in this case. That was also the reason why Harry was quiet at the moment as he was distracted by Louis moving about above them. The boy seemed to be doing trick jumps between buildings, one looking like a cartwheel, the other like a somersault in the air. Some jumps he'd land on his feet and others he'd land on his hands, but Louis took his time and always remained close enough for Harry to see his outline of an orange and yellow speck across the blue sky. 

Eventually, Harry's attention turned to Liam when Louis took a moment to stop and wait up for them. Harry noticed the smile on Liam's face that looked particularly prominent today and was reminded of Louis and Liam's strange behavior. The two were generally happy people and Harry had seen them smile before, but this seemed a bit different. It seemed like a special kind of happy. "Uh...so where are we going, Li?"

"We're going to the east side of the sanctuary wall.  
A group from our sister sanctuary is finally coming in today. " 

_________________________________

They weren't allowed outside the walls, at least not without a shit-ton of paperwork and waiting time to be given official permission. This meant the four of them waited in a little sitting area _within_ the wall, technically not in or out of the sanctuary. It didn't take long for Harry to realize the sanctuary walls were actually thicker than he had thought. You could fit multiple buildings in this space. It made him think that maybe the wall actually _was_ a bunch of interconnected buildings of the same height. Guards and officials were swarming around here and all the protective security measures were ridiculous in their number. You'd think the place was a prison rather than a sanctuary with all the precautions put in place. It made Harry feel a bit uneasy, but he knew it was for their protection. An enemy would have a difficult time coming in and he'd have just as much, if not more, of a difficult time getting back out. 

The area was dead quiet except for the typing of officials at work on technology systems and the echo of guards' footsteps as they patrolled the corridors. Some messengers came through once in a while as well, with a bag of mail at their side. It all seemed quite boring in the relative quiet. Even Louis stayed silent. 

Harry looked to the side and spotted a tired Liam who was still smiling even as his eyes drooped a little. This place could make anyone feel drowsy once you got used to the fact that a ton of security was around. Zayn already seemed to be asleep and leaning delicately on Liam's shoulder. Harry felt the drowsiness as it started to kick in, but he was also reluctant to break the silence by asking Louis how long they were going to sit here. Harry was just about to open his mouth to ask anyway when a beep echoed through the room, sounding loud in the quiet. Louis stood up, glancing at a light on the far wall that had changed color since the last time Harry saw it. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry could see Liam gently waking Zayn before they both stood up too. 

"They're coming through now." Louis said, smiling as Harry stood up next to him. "Just look for a lad our age with blonde hair and pretty blue eyes." 

"You mean eyes like yours?" Harry whispered, still reluctant to be loud in an area that was so quiet. 

Louis still kept his gaze locked on a doorway blocked by a clear security gate, but he grinned at Harry's comment anyway before shaking his head. "Even prettier."

Harry could have laughed at the teasing lilt in Louis's voice as he talked about another boy's "pretty blue eyes." He couldn't truly mean that, right? After all, Harry was pretty sure Louis had some of the loveliest blue eyes he'd ever seen, but before he could say anything else, a group of people began to file into the room through the security gate. Moments later, Harry saw a shock of blonde hair and Louis and Liam moved forward. 

Zayn and Harry followed and hovered nearby as their two friends embraced the blonde boy they'd zeroed in on from the small crowd. Harry heard laughter first, so bright and happy and contagious that he felt a smile coming onto his face. Then the blonde boy turned to see them and Harry saw his eyes. Pretty blue eyes, indeed. 

Louis smirked over the boy's shoulder and mouthed "I told you so" before Harry was able to catch the boy's actual name in Liam's voice. "Welcome home, Niall." 

_________________________________

Niall's home was cozy. It wasn't particularly fancy, but rather simple and small with a sofa all the other boys ended up squeezing themselves onto. It didn't really matter so much though that Niall's house was small because he was the only one who actually lived in it. It was in this small cozy home that they sat and talked, where Niall seemed completely at ease with having two strangers over along with a couple of his mates. 

It didn't take long for Harry and Zayn to understand why Liam and Louis had been so happy earlier and were still all smiles now. This was their first time meeting Niall and they could already tell there was something about the blonde that screamed sunshine and rainbows. It was in the brightness of his eyes, the lightness of his hair, the brilliance of his smile, and the infectious nature of his laughter, but it was so much more than that. These physical things merely emphasized on the outside what Niall appeared to have on the inside. The truth was that Niall's personality was so...well, they didn't know the right word for it. Happy maybe or carefree. In other words, sunshine and rainbows. 

If Zayn was being honest, Niall kind of reminded him of Harry with his easygoing, friendly, and open attitude. The two both seemed like someone almost anyone and everyone could get along with, but Niall's charm was all his own at the end of the day. Where Harry was charming in the cool and somewhat magnetic way, Niall's charm made him someone you wanted to know and protect. Strangely even cuddle, which was a weird thing to think about someone you just met, but it didn't make any of it less true. 

After some surface level conversation including Harry and Zayn's introductions paired with Niall's intrigued questions on their experiences and bending lessons so far, Liam spoke up. "How were things at the sister sanctuary, Niall?" 

"Ah, they were good. They've got some new buildings going up there too and they extended the market square. I honestly don't know why they keep wanting me to head over though. Not that I mind too much. You know, until they start talking about policies and politics that go way over my head." 

Harry still wasn't clear on why Niall apparently went on frequent trips between the two bending sanctuaries. He seemed too young to be a master even if he was a prodigy and the fact that his obviously Irish accent hadn't mellowed out to an English one with his time here made it likely that Niall hadn't lived here that long. Besides that, very few masters went back and forth between sanctuaries so much anyway. "Were you there on business then?"

"Yeah, they sort of consider me neutral for the most part, not tied to any element group or bending in general or even non-bending since I'm still a full-fledged member. They wanted a few representatives like that on certain committees and since 'neutrality is rare,' they picked me." 

Niall responded to his question with nonchalance, as if what he said made any sense, as if Harry and Zayn already had all the pieces necessary to connect the dots. Liam took notice of their confusion though and explained. 

"Niall's the first baby born and raised in this sanctuary from non-benders who've moved in. His family was one of the first non-bender families to join us here. Plus, he also isn't a bender himself so they consider him 'not tied' to anything. Besides the fact that he's a sanctuary member of course which makes him different from any non-bender outside." 

Zayn had never heard of anything like that, but then again he was still a relatively new inductee. It didn't help much with his confusion. "I didn't know non-benders are able to join." 

"Yeah," Louis laughed, "I mean, there aren't many of them obviously, but we'll never refuse a non-bender ally."

Non-benders joining the sanctuary, especially without a seemingly clear-cut reason to join such as a bender in the family, made Harry feel a bit worried. It felt wrong somehow to allow it and yet Harry hated that feeling because it was too close to discrimination. After all, look where that kind of thinking had taken the benders. It was thinking like that which led to Harry's very presence here. 

Still, he couldn't help but bring up his concern, albeit trying to word it and ask it as gently as possible. "Isn't that kind of...dangerous? No offense Niall, but if they don't really feel like they need to be here, how do we know some people aren't requesting to join just to spy on everyone else or something?" 

The sanctuary was supposed to be a safe haven where members had to give up their previous way of life in order to become a part of it. All of that sacrifice might be justifiable if the sanctuary was truly a safe place, but if it was anything less than that, then becoming a part of it seemed even more like an uneven deal. Harry knew that not all non-benders were a threat to benders, but neither were all non-benders harmless. In this case where safety was a priority though and rare to come by, letting non-benders in seemed like a great risk and a self-destructive policy. 

Harry could see that Niall's body was relaxed as he considered the question. In fact, his facial expression was the same as ever indicating Niall either had a really good poker face or he wasn't offended. Harry hoped it was the latter. "Well, they'll have to go through Master Kira. She's the only earth bender in our compound who's been able to master lie detection. That's why letting in non-benders is only a recent development for the most part. Otherwise, someone much older than me and my family would have been the first." 

Liam nodded at him as if in reassurance and to back up Niall. "Exactly. Louis meant we haven't refused any true non-bender ally since then, because Master Kira will check them out. Ask them why they want to join, if they mean any of us harm, if they work for someone... Unless the people are really good at spouting lies, there won't be any security breach that way." 

Louis shifted in his seat, looking conspiratorial and stern as he made eye contact with both Harry and Zayn in turn. "In other words, avoid Master Kira like she's got rabies." Harry smiled as he heard Niall coughing just slightly over his tea as he tried to hold back a laugh. 

"Of course _you_ would," Liam teased, "You've got a lot to hide. Snuck out the other day again did you?"

"No." 

Liam smiled and shook his head.

Louis just frowned at him then turned to address the rest of the room. "Soon enough, we'll have to avoid Liam too. He's shown _potential_ apparently and is studying under The Human Lie Detector so they can have a system of checks and balances or whatever." He shook his head in disapproval before his eyes suddenly lit up. "Speaking of which, for practice...Hey Li, I totally did not steal your training equipment two weeks ago." 

"Fuck off, Louis."

But Liam still laughed. They all laughed because Niall couldn't control himself and the room rang with his laughter as he spit up his tea. 

"It's good to be back. Council meetings are always pretty boring. It'd be better if you guys were there too." 

Louis grinned. "I'm pretty sure we'd get banned from the meeting room."

Zayn's quiet chuckle came from his end of the sofa as he gently teased him. "Well, you probably would." 

_________________________________

It was a good day in Niall's home with Louis and Liam's contagious happiness at Niall's return, not to mention Niall's infectious laughter at coming home to his endearingly idiot friends. There was laughter, smiles, jokes, and teasing. It was only later in the day when the mood shifted slightly with Liam's question. 

"So why was your return trip delayed anyway Niall? Louis and I were wondering because I know you meant to be back last week." 

Niall had shrugged at him from across the room. "Apparently, the trips back and forth were supposed to be canceled. The Council decided to allow two more trips though so everyone on visit to another sanctuary could go home instead of be stranded. That means I get to stay home for a while." His grin had seemed a bit less bright, tight-lipped. 

Harry hadn't thought this news seemed like such a big deal until Liam and Louis had turned wide eyed and frozen. Even Zayn had looked concerned. 

Louis looked deep in thought. "The Council never stopped trips back and forth for members on business before. Did they say why or how long?" 

"No, they just said the break would be in place until further notice. Indefinitely...or something like that." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this is a short chapter.  
> I kind of consider it just half of the actual chapter 10 and when I am able to write and edit the other half, I might add that onto this chapter instead of keeping this short and making a short chapter 11 too. We'll see and I'll let you know through the author's notes if I do that.
> 
> Anyway, I just wanted to post something up because it's _**killing**_ me not to write anything and post it, but this is all I can manage right now.  
>  I only have a week of school left for this semester, but the last week is exam week so...  
> Wish me luck, basically. T-T
> 
> You'll learn more about Niall in the coming chapters, especially the next one or the other half of this one...whichever.
> 
>  ***Edited:** The second half of chapter 10 has been added. (1/02/15)


	11. Chapter 11

It was the day after Niall came home when Harry had a visitor. He was in his room, skimming through the more interesting parts of the informative texts he'd been given by Master Haruko and Master Jiro, when there was a knock on his door. It took him a second to realize it because people didn't come to his door that often. The Masters came to see him a handful of times, but most people who needed to talk to him ran into him on the training grounds or in the marketplace. The lads were the same way and if they hadn't run into him and couldn't wait until next time, then Louis usually acted as the messenger and disregarded the door all together. Louis must go and see them all regularly whenever he gets bored. Maybe he sneaks in through all their windows for fun. 

So there was a knock on his door and Harry figured it must be an elder or a master. "Coming," he called. He placed his books on his desk and opened the door to see a young man clearly not dressed in formal robes like he had been expecting. The man obviously wasn't a civilian or elemental student though if his simple uniform was anything to go by. Not a master or an elder, but a messenger then. Harry never got messengers at his door. "Sorry, can I help you?" 

"There is someone here to see you," the man said, standing there expectantly. Well that was odd. Why would anyone here have a messenger tell him they were here instead of coming to knock on his door themself? 

"Uh...tell them they can come in?"

The messenger gave him a weird look before he realized Harry didn't understand what he was saying. "There is someone from _outside_ who has come to see you." 

_________________________

Harry's heart had been beating far too fast, his hands shaking far too much as he was escorted to the inner ring of the sanctuary wall. Once he got there, the messenger who had escorted him was replaced with a guard and it only made Harry even more nervous and fidgety. "This way to Visitor Room C." The guard said nothing else. Harry kind of wished the man had put him out of his misery by telling him who his visitor was, but he hadn't been sure if he really wanted to know. 

Who would come visit him from outside? Surely not his friends. Harry had had good friends outside, but he didn't expect them to come all this way and go through the long and enduring process of coming to see him. That seemed extreme even for his best of friends. His parents then, maybe, but Harry wasn't so sure. Was it even common knowledge that he was here? Who would know that? He had figured that his disappearance had become known, but he hadn't been sure if his location was secret. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe it really was his parents, or one of them at least. Maybe it was his sister...he didn't know. 

He almost pressed himself into the guard's back when the man stopped walking. A moment later and the guard reached for the handle and started gesturing him inside. Stepping over that threshold and hearing someone say his name made a shiver go up his spine.

"Hello, Harry."

And then he realized whose voice this was. He had to be wrong of course, but when he looked up, he saw the person standing there without a doubt as to who she was. Confusion and surprise hit him hard. 

"...Mrs. Williamson?" 

His former teacher's mouth curled into just the hint of a smile, genuine in her happiness of seeing him even as her eyes looked quite solemn. Maybe the solemnity was in deference for his circumstances that weren't exactly horrible perhaps, but could be better all the same. A person generally greeted someone who had gone through recent hardship with sympathy and it made Harry's stomach turn a little to have that gaze remind him of such hardships in his recent experience. "It's nice to see you." 

Harry didn't know what to say or think in response to that. It was nice to see someone from his old life - someone from outside these walls - however strange this meeting also was to him, but there seemed to be no sense as to why his Bending History and Theory teacher was here at all. "Why...?" 

She took his confusion in stride and answered him before he even had to finish asking. "I was already coming here for personal reasons and since I knew you were in the sanctuary, I wanted to come check on you too." 

"Personal reasons?" Harry asked, curious now in addition to his confusion. 

"Yes, I'm visiting my grandparents." Harry's eyes went wide and Mrs. Williamson's smile grew in her amusement. "Don't look so surprised. My father was raised in this sanctuary even if he had no abilities, because my grandmother is an airbender and my grandfather was a non-bender born to other benders in this sanctuary. My father left once he was older, but both of us come to visit his parents here when we have the chance. I have good standing here." 

Of course. Harry had to remind himself that there were quite a few non-benders in this sanctuary along with those who actually had abilities. Whether through a 'fall-out' of the already somewhat inconsistent passing down of bending genes along family lines or the successful incorporation of allies who had petitioned for entry, non-benders lived here among their bending counterparts. Niall and his family were proof of that. Apparently part of Mrs. Williamson's family tree was proof of that too. 

"I didn't know that. About you and your family, I mean."

"Well, you couldn't have, could you?" She took a minute to look into his face, trying to read him probably. He had always squirmed when she'd done that to him as her student. At times it had made him think she was well aware of his unhappy secret and his resulting unease whenever he had been in her classroom. "How are you, Harry?"

Harry shrugged, not sure how else to answer her. "I've been better," he offered, "but I'm all right." Best not to get into specifics or dwell on it all. 

His teacher seemed to accept his statement and did not ask him to elaborate. Instead she gestured toward the sparse furniture in the room. "Good, then come have a seat with me. If you don't mind." 

Harry simply nodded and followed her to the table in the center of the room before he realized he'd forgotten his manners. "Oh, um...and how are you?" He only sat in his chair after she answered him and she sat too. 

"I'm well, thank you. I hope you didn't panic too much at my sending for you. You looked a little," she paused to consider her wording, "...bothered when you first came in." 

"I never had a visitor here before and I didn't know who it would be." He hadn't even been able to figure out who he had wanted it to be. "I never thought it would be you." 

The following silence felt heavy and slightly awkward. What did one say in such a situation as this? Harry had often found conversing very easy over the course of his life, but now he couldn't seem to find a thing to say. 

"Amy wanted me to thank you." 

Again, Harry was surprised. He wondered how many more times he'd be surprised today. "You've talked to her?" 

"She talked to me, yes." Mrs. Williamson sighed, but then her expression quickly started to dissolve into a picture of amusement. "She was always a quiet and studious girl." 

Harry had hardly ever said a word to Amy, but he knew that much about her. Her being quiet was one of the reasons why they hardly ever spoke. He remembered how attention being paid to her made her pretty nervous and how she had always raised her hand shyly, as if she had to work up her nerve and steel herself for speaking in class. 

"She was one of the first to volunteer in helping to clear the classroom after we got permission to enter it again. She spoke to me that first day, said more than I've ever heard her speak at once and all of a sudden too. She surprised me. I believe at the time, that we were clearing the corner she had been trapped in during the fire." 

"I'm glad she's all right." 

"Thanks to you. She didn't suffer any permanent damage from the fire thanks to you, Harry. Well, her and some of the other students too. From what I've heard." Mrs. Williamson smiled at him again, looked at him with a kind of respect Harry didn't feel like he deserved. The fire seemed like it happened a decade ago and Harry hadn't even known what he was doing at the time. He had just reacted. 

Maybe Amy had rubbed off on him because Harry found himself squirming now at the attention. Time to change the subject. "How bad was the damage to your classroom? Did any of the texts and artifacts survive?" 

Mrs. Williamson shook her head and Harry felt his heart sink along with her expression. All of those things that had made her class so colorful and interesting even while it was nerve wracking...those precious things that his teacher had treated with the utmost care and had clearly held very dear to her heart. All of those things gone.

"I'm sorry," he offered. He meant that. He knew how important those things had been. And if he felt sorry for their loss, then Mrs. Williamson must feel that loss even more.

Again his teacher shook her head. "It's a shame of course, but there was nothing we could do. It will take a long time, but the school and I will gather another collection again." 

Harry nodded and in the short silence that followed, his eyes landed on the clock on the wall. He wondered how long they would sit here talking like this. She said she had come here to visit her grandparents and, unless she had done so very early this morning, she still had somewhere to be. She must be planning to go see them soon then, maybe for lunch. That meant they wouldn't be here long. Harry's mind whirled with his thoughts that so far had no answers. This could be his opportunity to get some. 

Mrs. Williamson's voice cut through the silence. "You have questions," she said - with her brand of certainty that really shouldn't surprise him anymore. "Go ahead and ask me." 

That was what he got for having such a perceptive teacher. It must have been clear as day on his face to her. To be fair, Harry knows he had never been very difficult to read either. He sighed, still deep in thought. A lot of things had been troubling him lately so he didn't really know where to start. 

_Just pick one. Pick something._

"Earlier, you said you knew I was here." His teacher nodded in confirmation. "So, they know that I was brought here and who did it?" 

Mrs. Williamson shifted in her seat as she considered his question. "When some sanctuary members rescued you Harry, I assume they considered keeping your whereabouts and their involvement secret," she said. Her face and voice was solemn as she spoke. "They considered playing it off as a disappearance, but decided against it. The consequences could have been horrible if they had kept you hidden or used any more deceit than they already had."

Deceit. Harry hadn't known what to expect. When he had woken up in the sanctuary, it hadn't occurred to him at first to ask whether the outside world knew of his rescue and he had been too afraid to ask the question later. He hadn't known which he preferred. Whether he wanted people to think he somehow escaped - a bender on the run from the law - or that he was taken away by a renegade group of benders. In the eyes of the public, it probably didn't shine a very positive light on people like him either way. 

"So they told the truth then."

"Yes, they came clean. The sanctuary itself spoke on the behalf of their rescue parties and let the authorities know they had taken you, in addition to a few others, into their own custody. They defended your actions, accusing the policeman who arrested you of having arrested you without good reason. After all, you helped get people out of that fire. You saved Amy. And this way, you would have a second chance without being among the general public any more than you would have been anyway if you were in jail. Though you probably would have been released eventually." 

"There still has to be some consequence for taking me though," he argued. If the outside law enforcement cared at all about him as a person, the actions of his rescue party could have easily been seen as an abduction. A kidnapping. Especially considering they had not received word from Harry himself that he remained here in the sanctuary of his free will. For all the outer law enforcement knew, the sanctuary could have taken him and had him tortured or imprisoned here instead. Maybe the outer officers simply didn't care, but either way, it seemed like it shouldn't be so easy to take him without consequences. 

"Well, maybe there would have been," she granted, "but some other authorities stepped in." Her face was steely and severe. Something didn't seem right. 

"What do you mean?"

"Much of the military formally showed their support in your rescue and others like you." At the look on his face, she shook her head and sighed before continuing. "Some of them may have had good intentions at heart, but the military has always worked to gain favor with the sanctuaries and their members." 

"I can only imagine why," Harry said dryly.

"You ought to have some guesses. After all, you were in my class and we covered this." 

Yes, they had covered this. The military wished to incorporate benders into their ranks, that much was clear. _They think of us as perfect soldiers. Perfect potential soldiers._ Supporting their rescue efforts was seen as an opportunity to hopefully win their favor. Just another strategic move to win them over to their side. 

"Is there anything else you'd like to ask me?" His teacher's voice was gentle, trying to call his attention back from the dark place his mind had gone. But calling him back and asking that question only made Harry's thoughts move from one dark place to another. He slumped in his seat.

"My family doesn't want to see me."

"You shouldn't think that." Mrs. Williamson's voice was insistent and stern. 

It only made Harry believe it all the more. 

His own voice came out bitter and then sad. They truly didn't want to see him. "They know where I am, that they can come visit me, and it's been more than a week. How can I not think that?" 

"You forget that you only became a full member a few days ago. Your parents couldn't have come visited you then even if they tried." She made a fair point, but he didn't think it mattered. 

"So are they coming to visit me now?"

She did not look into his face. So her fair point didn't matter. 

"...I don't know." But Harry had a feeling she knew perfectly well that they weren't coming to see him. He slumped even further in his seat. 

"Right." He'd had just about enough of this. It was good to see someone from outside, but it hurt nonetheless that his family was not the one here in his teacher's place. It should have been them. He should have heard news of what happened from them and not her. But they hadn't come and now his former teacher was watching her former student with sympathetic eyes. 

"Harry...just give them some time. It's quite a lot to take in." 

He nodded numbly in agreement, but said nothing more. He would give his family all the time in the world.  
It wouldn't make a difference. 

Harry couldn't bring himself to meet his teacher's gaze anymore, much less continue carrying a conversation with her. She must have known that because he saw her stand in his peripheral vision, clearly getting ready to take her leave. She would go to see her own family, her grandparents. He tried to contain his envy and keep his perspective. After all, their circumstances were markedly different. 

"I guess we're done here," she said. One of her hands fell on his shoulder then and squeezed in reassurance. Her voice was gentle. "I'm afraid you have many burdens and trials ahead of you. Some you have already come to face, are already coming to conquer, and some you know nothing of yet. But you have always been bright, Harry. You'll be fine." 

She hesitated for a moment as if she had more to say, something she wanted to tell him. The pause was just long enough for Harry to look up and see her shake her head as if she was shaking off her thoughts. Still, her eyes were serious, a warning - a worry - in them that she wouldn't put words to. "Just be careful and keep your new friends close." 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case you didn't notice or forgot, the author's note that had been under Chapter 11 has been replaced with an actual chapter. If you hadn't read that chapter first then you probably want to before you read this one. You might be a little lost otherwise. 
> 
> If you already read it, then just ignore this and read on! x)

_"Just be careful and keep your new friends close."_

Those words bothered Harry from the moment he heard them. Something about the look that had been on Mrs. Williamson's face as she said those words had been unsettling and the more Harry thought about it, the more he felt like something was wrong. The more he thought about it, the more that every little memory he held and had thought was somewhat insignificant before now was starting to pile up into one big picture. And it wasn't a good one. 

_"Go on then and have fun," Liam said to Harry before turning to lock eyes with Lou, "Just be careful and keep an eye out, yeah?"_

How many of those looks had Harry caught between Liam and Louis over the short time he'd been here? How many of those looks had he missed? Those looks where his two friends turned serious and quiet and where their teasing suddenly disappeared...it seemed to Harry that there shouldn't be that many. They had looked worried. Liam and Louis clearly knew something wasn't right. 

_"They just said the break would be in place until further notice. Indefinitely..."_

_"All the Masters have some meeting today. It must be pretty serious because almost everyone's lessons have been canceled actually."_

So Harry was on edge thinking about these things and they drove him mad within a few hours. It wasn't just his memories about the looks Liam and Louis shared, Niall's news of the sanctuaries closing off to each other indefinitely, and the all encompassing masters' meeting that left almost every student lesson-less for a single day, that he was reevaluating. Those things were worrying in and of themselves, but now that this seed had been planted in his head, Harry couldn't help but notice that there seemed to be more messengers running errands. That they were from that one particular group of messengers Master Jiro had described as he talked about the sanctuary on Harry's very first day; the ones who were used rarely and only for important news. 

One of those messengers had pulled an elder aside just a moment ago to speak to her in private. There definitely was more of them. 

Harry's eyes turned toward the sky as he walked around the grounds restlessly. His eyes scanned the tall buildings before moving onto the walls and he frowned at another thought. Harry squinted at the figures standing guard on those sanctuary walls. He hadn't counted them before now, but in the back of his mind Harry felt like there had once been fewer of them in comparison to today. 

So his friends were worried and there were to be no more council meetings or trips between the sanctuaries - a lockdown. There was some matter of great importance that had required a large number of masters to hold a meeting in the middle of a full day of lessons, which had to be canceled. There was a matter of great importance that led to those rarely used official messengers to suddenly be in much more use than usual and there seemed to be more guards standing watch at the top of the walls. 

Something else wasn't right either. 

_"The sanctuary itself spoke on the behalf of their rescue parties..."_

Something about the rescue parties that had taken people like him and Zayn and brought them here made a deeper pit form in Harry's stomach. The whole idea of it seemed out of place - to rescue a few benders who were arrested. Especially in his own case where he would have been released eventually, but maybe the sanctuary people hadn't known that at the time. 

_"My mum brought me here when I was little. Thought it was best. I had only been in primary school for a little while."_

Louis was brought here by his mother. Niall's family had petitioned for entry and Niall had been born here. Liam had mentioned how non-benders were allowed to join the sanctuary just like any bender these days, with the addition of a bit more extensive questioning beforehand from Master Kira. 

The difference was that they were brought here by choice. 

Zayn and Harry may have chosen to stay just like the others, but they hadn't come here on their own. They hadn't been brought here by parents who sought out the best for them and they hadn't petitioned for entry either. They had been taken. Why had they been taken? Rescued? Harry had assumed people like him and Zayn had been rescued from being taken to jail. Maybe they were taken to be given a second chance, but it didn't make sense to Harry. 

He would have been released. 

Maybe they were saving him from the world finding out his secret, but that made no sense either. Harry could have gone back to his normal life. He could have seen for himself how his life had changed and then maybe he would have come to join the sanctuary on his own anyway. Why did the sanctuary go through all that trouble to save him when it seemed there wasn't much he had to be saved from? At least in his case, if not the others too.

They had taken him. Harry didn't blame them of course, but it didn't add up. So much could have gone wrong for them. If the law enforcement outside cared more or if the military hadn't showed their support, there could have been dire consequences. He could have cried foul. This could have looked like a case of abduction or kidnapping. Any of those rescue cases could have looked that way...so why did they do it?

It was time to get some answers. 

_________________________

Harry figured Liam would probably be his best bet. Zayn was too new to the sanctuary like Harry was so it wouldn't be very likely that the firebender would know what was going on. Niall and Louis were established members like Liam, but Liam was the safer choice for now. 

Niall was often gone for long stretches of time and had just gotten back from the other sanctuary. He probably wouldn't be very aware of what was going on in this one; he hadn't been around for himself to see the signs and changes. 

As for Louis, he might know many things considering he liked to sneak around and listen in on people for fun, but that was also precisely why Louis would be very difficult to get a hold of right away. Louis didn't adhere to a very tight schedule so Harry could end up scouring the whole area for him or might have to wait around until Louis inevitably popped up. That's why Louis usually came to find the others, rather than anyone else trying to find him. Finding Louis could be a rather impossible task. Harry knew where Liam would be though. Liam always kept to his routine and schedule. 

It was a couple hours past noon and on this particular day, Liam would be in one of the empty training rings. Sure enough, Harry found him within a quarter of an hour sitting under what seemed like Liam's favorite tree. What surprised him was that Liam wasn't alone and he wasn't training either. But maybe Harry shouldn't be so surprised, considering it was Zayn. 

Zayn and Liam sat and talked on a smooth stone, large enough for the two of them to sit and share comfortably under the shade of the tree beside them. Liam must have earthbended the stone up from the ground because Harry knew it had never been there before. Harry was only able to take this in for a minute though before Liam turned to face him from across the courtyard. His seismic sense must be getting better if Liam could sense him from so far away. 

Zayn followed Liam's gaze as Harry made his way over to the two of them. They both greeted him with smiles and an almost perfectly synchronized "Afternoon, Harry," before they took in the look on his face. Liam instantly stood up from his stone seat and watched his face, placing a strong hand on his shoulder. "Are you all right? Did something happen?" Zayn still sat, watching the pair of them with a sudden seriousness and concern. 

"I'm fine," Harry said, but then he noticed how Liam frowned and shook his head and how Louis had mentioned Liam was studying the skill of lie detection. Harry sighed. "Something's been bothering me today and I just wanted to talk to you." 

"What is it?" Liam asked. Harry opened his mouth to answer him and then hesitated. He didn't even know where to start. Maybe he was just paranoid; surely, it was nothing. Zayn picked up on Harry's hesitation. 

"Would you like me to leave?" Harry shook his head at the offer. This wasn't about Zayn being here. He just didn't know what to say now. Zayn's mouth fell into a thin line as he looked up at the pair of them and then at the empty stone space beside him. "Maybe you guys should sit."

"All right. Come sit with us Harry." Liam looked over the stone seating before shifting into a solid bending stance. "Zayn, stand up for a minute?" The second Zayn did, Liam sunk his outcropping of stone back into the ground and then brought up a slightly bigger one for the three of them to share. And so they sat and Harry stayed quiet until he couldn't keep his thoughts at bay any more. He started recounting his fears. 

_________________________

Harry saw the moment that Liam's face turned especially severe. Even Zayn switched between going slightly wide-eyed to scanning the walls and counting the number of guards himself. His expression grew ever more concerned as Harry went on. "The sanctuary elders could have gotten in trouble for busting me and Zayn out when we were on our way to jail. They could still get in trouble." 

"Maybe, but they'll find a way out of it if they do," Liam reasoned. "No one really wants to piss off a compound full of bending masters and their students." 

Well, fine. That might be understandable, but it still didn't answer his questions. "There has to be a reason why they brought us here though, right? I thought people came to the sanctuary and joined by choice."

Liam sighed and looked deep in thought, as if he wondered how much he should say. His voice came out uncharacteristically tentative when he finally answered. "They do, we didn't start bringing anyone here until the beginning of this year. Before then, everyone who joined our sanctuary came here by their own free will, by choice. There was no freeing of would-be prisoners. But things have changed and-"

Zayn cut him off. "What do you mean things have changed?" Harry knew without a doubt that Zayn was worried now if he had cut Liam off. 

"I don't know what it is exactly, but I think Harry's right. Something's wrong, even more than I thought. Benders are being targeted, given trouble only to be taken away by authorities. Like you two." 

Liam stared at them as if he was waiting for something. He stared at the two of them as if he was waiting for a bomb he dropped to explode in their laps, but he only saw the confused looks on their faces, not understanding. 

"It's why the sanctuary came to your rescue," Liam explained, his voice gentle but sure. "You were set up. Both of you." No, that couldn't be true. It couldn't be. "Harry, there was a call in about your school catching fire before there was any sign of a flame. And Zayn-"

"I was shot." Zayn's voice had barely been louder than a whisper, but Liam nodded. Zayn's eyes fell and his body started to shake. "I thought I dreamed that..." His hand came up to cover the side of his neck. The same place, Harry realized, where he'd noticed that strange mark. 

"No, Zayn. Louis overheard someone say they suspected you were drugged up with a mix of adrenaline and hallucinogens. It ruined your focus and made it impossible to control your fire. You were spouting flames the way a person has hiccups; it was involuntary." 

So someone had set them up. Someone was targeting benders. Someone had put Harry and a bunch of his schoolmates in danger of getting trapped in flames. Someone had _shot_ Zayn; made him helpless to control his abilities; made him hurt his family. And by the look on Liam's face, Harry knew there must be even more that this someone had done. "But why? Who would target us and how did they even know we were benders?" 

Zayn had closed in on himself and Liam looked preoccupied with his worry over the firebender's insistent shaking. He took a minute to scan the courtyard too and make sure it was still empty before he answered Harry. "I'm not sure...We think it's someone with access to everyone's gene documents, the file where everyone's genetic code is stored for study and reference. They can find out who has bending genes."

Bending didn't rely on just genetics though. The thought of that was pure madness. Harry knew from his Bending History and Theory class that you couldn't find out for sure if someone was going to have a bending ability because it was a lot more than genes. Liam must be aware of that. Harry shook his head. "It wouldn't be accurate. Our gene files would only show who has _some_ potential for bending. Besides that, a ton of non-benders still have traces of bending genes in their DNA code!" 

"I know that. It's a guess," Liam sighed and rubbed at his temples, "But that's the only way I can think of. There's no other indicator besides genes that even comes close to determining who will become a bender and who won't. So either whoever's been doing this has been _really lucky_ so far by picking random names with the highest percentage of bending genes off the files...or they figured out the code. They know who's a bender now by genes alone." 

It was that statement that finally made Zayn look up at them again, his face almost unreadable and numb. "And pretty much everyone has been documented and added to the genetic database since the day they were born. Including us." 

"So what, they're picking us off?" Harry's mouth went dry at the idea of it all. He had wanted answers, but more than anything he had hoped he was simply paranoid. He had hoped there was nothing to worry about. This conversation had already taken such a dramatic downward spiral and Harry didn't know how deep it would go. He could hardly sit still anymore and Zayn had already gone silent again. 

Even Liam looked dreadfully unsure. "I don't know what they're after," he admitted. "It's hard to tell sometimes which arrests and disappearances are influenced by whoever is after us." 

"It's more than arrests then... Some benders are disappearing?"

Liam nodded, sadly. "Yeah, the disappearances are more recent though. That's what some of the new messages are about. Maybe these people started off with arrests as their goal before the kidnappings kicked in. Assuming the disappearances are from kidnapping and not something else." 

_Something else._ Harry felt sick to his stomach. "You mean murder." 

The silence that followed his statement was undeniably heavy in its crushing weight. Liam could barely hold his gaze. When he spoke, it started with a phrase it seemed like he'd already said a hundred times today.  
"I don't know, Harry. I don't know what I mean. I told you it's just a guess...and I really hope I'm wrong." 


	13. Chapter 13

He wasn't learning fast enough. He was already behind all the other benders he knew. It didn't matter to Harry that they'd had longer to practice or that some were prodigies. Harry knew he needed to do better. He needed to know more. He needed to be able to fight and defend himself. He knew all that, but the stupid water in front of him still wouldn't change into ice. 

_"Come on water, change. Change!"_

Harry stared at the water he held in front of him, willing it to turn solid and icy. The water stayed in its liquid form. Harry could have groaned in his frustration, but he simply lashed the water out and let it splash inelegantly back into the training pool. He couldn't help admitting how good that felt as he let out a heavy breath and sank back to the ground. 

He needed to learn this. So far all he knew was some basic forms and how to stream water around him. Not to mention that his water streaming abilities showed a hint of awkwardness at best. Master Haruko had told him he was only shaky when he was trying to stream too much water at once, but Harry had seen masters move what might as well be an entire ocean compared to what he had been practicing with before. 

"It just takes some time, Harry," she'd said. "You'll get there." But Harry didn't _have_ time, not if Liam was right. That conversation had happened days ago and it still haunted him. Harry's recollection of his own words made him feel as cold as the ice he was trying to form. 

_"You mean murder."_

Harry needed to learn faster. Even if he was wrong about the disappearances, the fact still remained that there _were_ disappearances. Benders were being targeted, that much was clear, and Harry wanted - needed - to be prepared for whatever could happen. He stood up again and fell into his stance, streaming water out of the training pool and pulling it toward him to try again. But then the sound of a doorway opening across the courtyard caught his attention for a moment. It didn't take long for Harry to recognize the familiar shock of blonde hair. 

His eyes stayed focused on the water in front of him even as addressed his approaching visitor. "Hey, Niall. Sorry, but I can't talk. I'm training right now." He hoped that would be enough to make Niall leave him in peace or at least stay quiet while he practiced. He needed to learn how to do this. He shifted the water around in the air. 

Niall sighed as he came to a stop just a few feet away from him. "I know you are, mate. That's all you've been doing for the last three days. You don't even have an actual lesson with your master again until tomorrow." 

"Doesn't mean I can't practice," Harry argued, still staring straight at the water in front of him and willing it to turn to ice. He muttered under his breath, "Come on, change."

Niall spoke up again a second later, his voice pulling Harry away from his absolute focus. "Aren't you hungry? I'm starving. We could go eat some lunch or-"

"Not hungry," Harry said. He hoped Niall would just shrug and go off to eat on his own or find one of the other lads to go with him instead. No such luck.

Niall finally walked into Harry's line of sight, standing just behind the water he was streaming in front of his face. "How about you come sit with me for a minute by the tree then?" His voice was insistent. 

Harry took a deep breath and tried not to snap at him. "Niall, I'm practicing." 

"Just for a little while, Harry. Come on, a minute-break won't kill you."

 _"No, but you know what might!? **The people Liam told us about!"**_ Harry exploded, his arms flailing out in frustration and ruining his stance. Niall didn't even flinch when the water he'd been streaming flew everywhere. He'd been standing so close that some of the water had even soaked through his shirt. Harry's anger was quick to disappear and he instantly felt guilty. His gaze fell to the ground. "Sorry...I just need to practice." 

"You can, in a minute. If you still want to," Niall said, his voice still even. "Just please come sit with me for a bit." 

Harry didn't like it, but he nodded. He shouldn't have exploded at Niall like that. Maybe this little break could make up for it. Just a minute then, he conceded, and he followed Niall to the courtyard tree. 

Each of the training rings had at least one tree in its courtyard. Harry had noticed that everyone, including the lads, seemed to like sitting under those trees and in their shade. Harry hadn't noticed how hot the day was until he walked into that shade. He felt calmer the moment he was out of the sun too. Maybe the heat was part of what got to him. Harry tried not to dwell on his outburst. 

Niall sat down with a sigh and a loud and obviously bony crack that Harry picked up on immediately. Harry had never noticed that sound before. He opened his mouth to ask about it as he sat down too, but Niall answered him before he could. Harry figured he must be used to explaining it to others based on the casualness in his voice. Or maybe that's how Niall always was - unbothered by almost anything. 

Niall pulled the backpack he'd been wearing off of his shoulders and began unloading food and drinks. "I've got dodgy knees," he explained, shrugging, as he handed Harry a sandwich. "They've taken a beating over the years in my lessons so they were weak already by the time I tore through a load of ligaments a few years back. Was a good wake up call to start taking it easy." 

Harry watched on in amazement at what seemed like an endless supply of food still coming out of Niall's backpack and the sandwich in his own hands that Niall had given him even when he'd said he wasn't hungry. Harry figured he kind of was hungry now that he thought about it. He looked at Niall sitting across from him as he ate, looked at his jean-clad knees in particular and tried to connect them to the sound he'd heard when Niall sat. "What lessons were you taking that could have messed your knees up so bad?"

"Everything really, whenever I had the time. Mixed martial arts, hand-to-hand combat, a bunch of weapons training." Niall took a bite out of his own sandwich and then produced a fork from one of his pockets to spear into a container of fruit on the side. "I still go once in a while between council meetings or at least practice on my own." 

Harry just stared at him, his mind not processing what he was hearing. This boy in front of him - carefree, cuddly, non-threatening, sunshine and rainbows Niall - was trained in how to fight. Apparently not just with his hands either, but with various weaponry. Niall didn't seem like someone who could have a single violent bone in his body, even if such violence was under circumstances like self-defense. "You can fight then."

Niall's mouth fell into a thin line. "If I ever need to, yeah. I guess so." 

"How long have you been taking lessons?" Harry asked, putting his sandwich down for the moment.

Niall kept eating as he considered it, started to count on his fingers to be sure before running out of fingers to count on. "A little more than ten years now. Eleven maybe? Somewhere around there." 

Harry couldn't help the shock and even the tad bit of jealousy. Niall had lessons for ten years. He must be able to fight by now, more than Harry himself was able to. Of course it was good that another one of his friends could defend himself too, but the knowledge of that only made Harry want to run back to the training pool at that moment and practice all night and day until he was caught up. 

Then Niall interrupted his thoughts. "I pushed myself to learn everything and my body is pretty messed up because of it. I kind of wish I hadn't done that to myself sometimes to be honest. I had never really wanted to fight. It's not my thing." 

Harry frowned at him, not understanding. "If you never wanted to fight, then why did you take all those lessons?" 

Niall put down his food and looked Harry in the eyes. "For the same reason you've been acting like a crazy person these past few days." Niall sighed. He pushed the sandwich back into Harry's hands and unwrapped a slice of pizza from a wad of tinfoil for himself. 

"I was a non-bender among a sanctuary full of benders. I still am. I mean, there are others like me sure, but you don't really think about that when you're a kid." Niall's eyes started to glaze over with his recollections, his eyes seeming to look past Harry now at something else. "You know, you grow up around earthbenders who can chuck a rock at you from all the way across the playground, airbenders who can run circles around you playing tag, waterbenders who can dry off in an instant by bending the water out of their clothes after they've been outside running around in the rain, and then there are the firebenders who can light up the lanterns at night without needing any lighters or burn their names into the ground instead of using chalk... Then you see the adults, the masters, teach their students and spar their colleagues or perform on stage." 

Harry had seen only a couple of spars and performances since he'd been here, but he knew what Niall meant by that. Crowds always gathered to see the performances and matches, often times there were people watching who weren't even benders of the same element. It didn't matter though. Such occasions were absolutely incredible to watch all the same. Seeing the power that a single bending master held was breathtaking; seeing two or more masters in action at once was another level of wonder entirely. So Harry knew exactly how inadequate your own bending seemed to be the more you watched. 

And Niall wasn't even a bender. 

"You took the lessons because you felt like you needed to be able to do something," Harry reasoned. "Something like everyone else." Harry's gut twisted at the confirmation Niall gave by nodding at him. Harry could barely look him in the eyes. 

Niall didn't speak for a while, just sat and finished eating his slice of pizza and handed Harry some of the leftover fruit. They ate in silence before Niall finally seemed to work out what he wanted to say. "I know what it's like to feel helpless, Harry. To see other people around you and think that you need to be better, stronger, faster, or whatever more than you are, and there's nothing wrong with wanting to improve yourself." 

Niall paused and thumbed at the napkins in his lap as he glanced over at the training pool from earlier. He looked back at Harry. "But, I also know what it's like to run yourself ragged trying to get to where you think you have to be right away. Continuous stress takes its toll on the body, mate. If you couldn't tell that by me and my knees, think about all the athletes outside that you've heard of who end up seriously, or even permanently, injuring themselves in their games and training by pushing themselves too hard." 

Niall was right, of course. Still, Harry wanted to do better. "I just wanted to be stronger in case something happens. What if Liam is right, Niall? Even council leaders, the elders and masters, are worried that something is happening. If those people who are targeting us come here and I can barely do more than stream some water..." 

"But you _will_ get stronger. It's just that these things take time. Until then, you aren't alone, mate. You've got the rest of us here with you, me and the lads and everyone else. Everyone in this sanctuary will work together to keep everyone safe. That's what makes us stronger. That's what has kept this community going for so long, yeah?" Niall smiled at him. "Besides, you won't be any help to anyone if you run yourself into the ground." 

"All right, all right. But I still need to do better." Niall smiled wider, a gleam in his pretty blue eyes. Harry wasn't sure if he trusted that look. "What?"

Niall laughed. "I got you something that will instantly make you stronger than a majority of the waterbenders here, but I'll only give it to you if you promise to take it easier from now on and practice at a reasonable pace." 

Harry studied his friend's expression. He seemed sincere, but there could be no such thing that Niall could give him as an instant power booster. Harry figured he really didn't have much of a choice here though. He would have to agree to take it easier either way. "Okay, I promise. What is it then?" 

Niall placed his backpack onto his lap again and dug through its contents. He shoved his arm in until he could manage to pull out something that seemed to have been lying at the very bottom of his pack. He handed the simple and decorated bundle over to Harry. 

Harry turned it every which way and looked at a still smiling Niall in confusion. "It's a bag." 

"It's a bending pouch," Niall corrected. "It expands the more you put water inside. Carry it with you and you'll have an advantage over the waterbenders without one. Don't want to be caught in a fight somewhere where there isn't water you can use, now do you?" 

Harry looked down at the bag in his hands again - the simple design on the outside, the strong and stretchy material of the pouch itself, and the long strap that obviously could be used in any number of ways to carry this pouch around. It was perfect. Harry hadn't even considered a situation where water was not easily available for him to use. He wondered how many waterbenders had made the same mistake. 

"Thank you, Niall." Harry couldn't help smiling at him now and he knew he'd carry Niall's pouch around with him everywhere starting today. 

"You're welcome," Niall said, clapping Harry's shoulder as he finished repacking his things and slung his backpack on again. He stood up and Harry followed him. "Come on, let's fill that thing up with water and then we can go check on Zayn." 

They made their way over to the training pool as Harry asked what Niall meant. "What's wrong with Zayn?" 

"Don't know," Niall said, watching as Harry bent water into his new pouch until it looked pretty fat. "He hasn't left his room in days and won't talk to anyone. Liam thinks he's having his own version of a breakdown." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's that? You thought I was going to make Niall seem like a defenseless non-bender? Pffftt.
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are very much appreciated and motivate me to write faster. x3


	14. Chapter 14

_Flames. Fire. Burning. Smoke. Heat._

_Zayn's mind feels foggy in its pain, but he can still see it all happening. He can see it all happening and feel the familiar sensation of fire spouting in his palms, but he can't make sense of any of it. His mind is too busy with its own onslaught of chaos, a whirling vortex of thoughts and sudden panic that sears his brain and makes him clench his teeth._

_He could have sworn something hit him, broke through his window and hurt him, but he doesn't remember. Trying to remember just adds another thought to the giant vortex in his head and the stabbing pain makes him squeeze his eyes shut even as he feels his heart race and his body start to shake uncontrollably. He feels like he's suffocating and his breaths start coming out in gasps and pants, going out of rhythm._

_When he finally manages to open his eyes again, his vision blurs and twists in front of him. He squints at the blinding light and raises a violently shaking arm to block the brightness in his face. It's as if he's facing the sun. Was he dreaming of burning up on the sun? It would help explain the pocket of heat devouring his entire frame, but no it's just a ton of flames. And fire. And haunting screams in the distance... The frantic shouts of his family calling out to one another and crying as he can barely stay standing long enough on his feet to take a few stumbling and shaky steps in random directions._

_Maybe this was him dreaming of hell._

_***_

 

The nightmares seemed to get stronger with each passing day. Somehow Zayn had been able to shove those memories away before because they had been hazy and dreamlike. Even after Zayn was arrested and learned that his house had actually caught on fire with everyone in it, his recollections of what happened had retained their fogginess for some time. Ever since Liam revealed the truth though, Zayn's mind had a new concept of reality in those memories to focus on. And they became far too real. 

So he spent most of his time sat in the farthest corner of his room, barely moving from that singular spot. He didn't even turn on the lights at night, just sat in the dark and stared endlessly into his own hands all through the day, horrified, as his mind replayed what he had done over and over.

It was all his fault. He had hurt his family. He must have because they were separated from him and taken to the hospital for injuries Zayn didn't even know the severity of. They might never be okay. He could've burned them and given them permanent scars. Turned their skin red or black. They could have suffocated and died. He could have killed them. Maybe he had, for all he knew.  
His dad, his mum, his sisters...

He had hurt them, put all their lives at risk, and he hadn't even known when he was doing it. He was a monster. He was dangerous. And he was never going to move from this spot and endanger anyone else ever again. 

There was a knock at his door.

He had been expecting it to happen at any minute. It really was like clockwork. 

Liam's voice drifted through the wood just like the days before. "Zayn, I'm back. Niall and I were planning to go eat later around noon, and maybe invite the other lads too if we can. You should come with us, yeah? What do you say?"

Zayn stayed quiet as he always did and didn't say a word. It didn't matter that Zayn never said anything though; Liam kept coming back anyway. The earthbender had come to see him from the very first day Zayn stayed holed up in his room. He had come to check on him three times a day, each and every day, without fail: morning, noon, and night. The earthbender just wouldn't quit. Well, those benders were known for being as stubborn as a rock. 

"Zayn..." Liam's voice was gentle and imploring, "it's been three days. I'm worried about you. Please just say something."

For a split second the sound of Liam's voice at that moment made Zayn consider getting up and letting him in. He didn't want Liam to worry over him, but Zayn held his resolve. He wasn't going to move from his spot. He closed his eyes and burrowed his head further into the arms resting tightly over his knees and fought the impulse to give in. 

_Go away, Liam._

Zayn knew Liam wanted to help and that he would always be understanding, but Liam was the last person he wanted to face right now. Strong, responsible, perfect, and always in-control Liam had all the qualities Zayn was struggling with. He couldn't bring himself to face someone like that - someone who would try to understand and would want to understand, but who never truly could. 

Zayn could hear Liam sigh with disappointment from the other side of his door. "All right, then," Liam patted the door as if he wished it would just pop open. "I'll check back later around lunch in case you change your mind. Think about it." 

Then all Zayn had to deal with before he could return to absolute silence and his sulking were the sounds of Liam's footsteps walking away. 

 

_________________________________

 

Liam knew Zayn was in there. His seismic sense was still hazy when it came to sensing things that weren't on open earth around him, like buildings and the things inside them, but he knew Zayn was in there. It was true that his seismic sense was a blurry haze when it came to Zayn's apartment building, and Zayn never said a word or made a sound for him to hear, but Liam knew. A Zayn-filled silence was very different from a Zayn-free silence. Liam also knew that shouldn't really make sense to him, but somehow it did. Zayn was in there. He just wouldn't come out. 

Liam had first noticed Zayn's disappearance three days ago when Zayn didn't show up while he was training. Zayn hadn't been in the sanctuary too long, but since the two became acquainted Zayn had made it a habit to come see Liam sometime while he trained, after his own firebending lessons. Liam figured that maybe Zayn's firebending lessons had extended for the day, but when he went to the training ring set aside for firebending students, Master Azriel told him that Zayn hadn't shown up. So Liam went looking for him at Zayn's apartment, knocked on his door, and when there was no response, Liam called for him through that door. 

Zayn hadn't said a word. 

For a while, the silence made Liam doubt his sense that Zayn was in his apartment. His seismic sense was still a little too hazy to be sure so he started looking everywhere else. He went to ask Niall and Louis if they'd seen the firebender, but they both had said no. He tried to talk to Harry too, but it seemed like Harry was too focused on waterbending to really listen or talk to him. Master Azriel obviously hadn't seen his student either and Zayn was nowhere to be seen around the sanctuary as far as Liam knew. That meant he had to be right, Zayn really had to be in there. So Liam went to check on him again and tried to coax him out any time he was free. He ended up going three times a day, but all his efforts thus far were in vain. 

Zayn had been in his apartment for three days. Liam had gone to see him several times throughout those days and now the earthbender was seriously considering breaking the door down soon. What if Zayn was hurt in there and couldn't respond to him, couldn't get up to let him in? Maybe an intruder had somehow gotten in and kidnapped the firebender. Liam was starting to go mad with his worry and he knew it. He had to at least know that Zayn was okay. He just needed to know that. So Liam walked back over to Zayn's apartment again that afternoon, just hours after his first attempt for the day that same morning. 

He still didn't get a response. 

Liam tried to swallow his disappointment and urge to break down the door as he made his way back to the apartment's main entrance. He had just exited the building when someone called his name and he saw the shock of familiar blonde hair. 

"Hey, Payno," Niall said, walking over to him with Harry right on his heels. That made Liam feel a little better at least, finally seeing Harry away from the waterbenders' training ring. Niall glanced at Liam's face and could already tell, but still he asked. "He hasn't come out yet, huh?" 

Liam frowned and shook his head. "No, he hasn't. I tried again just now. Invited him out to lunch with us, but he didn't answer." He turned to Harry then who seemed to be considering Zayn's apartment building. "It's good to see you away from the training pool though, Harry." 

Still Harry stared, his face looking deep in thought. "Louis's in there." 

Liam must have heard Harry wrong. Even Niall looked confused. "You think Louis is in Zayn's apartment?" Niall asked. 

"Yeah," Harry said. He sounded pretty sure. 

Liam walked up closer to him to be sure he heard Harry right this time. There was no way Louis was in there. He'd been trying to get Zayn to talk to him for forever without success. "What? How do you know?" 

Harry looked away and stared again as he pointed up toward the one clearly open window of the apartment building. The one that led to Zayn's room. All three of them knew what that meant. 

Liam exploded, his arms shooting away from his body and his hands turning into fists. _"WELL, WHY DIDN'T HE LET ME IN!?"_

"Uhh..." Harry didn't know what to say. He had never seen Liam lose his cool. 

Niall looked around, seeming uncomfortable as he grabbed for explanations. "Maybe Louis dragged him out of his room after all and they aren't in there anymore." 

Liam knew Zayn was in there though and now that he thought about it, he was sure he could sense another presence in addition to Zayn's through the haze of his seismic sense. Harry winced as he saw Liam's fists tighten, the veins in his arms becoming more prominent. "Or he knows perfectly well that I'm here and is ignoring me anyway." 

Harry and Niall watched in apprehension as Liam stormed his way back to the apartment's main entrance to start flying up the stairs. He stopped halfway there and seemed to inhale endlessly in an attempt to calm himself. It didn't work. _**"TOMMO!"**_

 

_________________________________

 

"Liam seems pissed at you." 

Zayn could hear the earthbender even before he was right outside his door. Liam had immediately patted at the door again, but this time the pat had been more like a bang of frustration. Zayn hadn't been too sure the door would hold up to that. Thank god for Harry and Niall who intervened before Zayn or Louis had to say anything. The two of them calmed Liam back down and convinced him to take the time to cool off over lunch. 

Louis waved dismissively at the door, unconcerned. "Eh, he'll get over it." Zayn scoffed at his complete lack of concern before Louis raised an eyebrow at him. "Anyway, pretty sure we were talking about you and your fucked up excuse for locking yourself away." 

"I told you it's not fucked up," Zayn shook his head and stared again into his hands. Louis should be able to understand a little, at least when it came to his family. As for this kind of struggle with his element, not so much. Airbenders weren't exactly known for using destructive force. "It doesn't matter if I'm a good firebender, Lou. All it will take is someone to shoot me like that again and I could hurt someone else. What if that happens and I start to lose control?" 

"Simple," Louis shrugged again beside him, his voice nonchalant. "I'll knock you unconscious. Can't do any damage if you're out cold." 

Zayn couldn't help smirking despite himself. Louis was ridiculous. And the idea actually had some potential. "You'd really knock me out?"

"Heck yeah. I could get the other lads in on it too if you want. We'd be prepared with batting implements and even a pillow to rest your dainty, unconscious, and bruised head on." Louis made an exaggerated expression as if something just occurred to him. "Don't know what that would do to your vanity, but you win some and lose some." 

Zayn shook his head. How Louis managed to get him to laugh, Zayn would never know. Louis just smiled at him, satisfied with making Zayn laugh. Now that he was smiling again, it was time to make himself clear. "I wouldn't let it happen, you know. Just stay near me Zayn and I won't let you lose yourself." 

Zayn considered it. He considered it after Louis left the way he'd forced himself in. He considered it for the rest of the day as he sat in his room.  
And he was still considering it late that night when the sanctuary alarm went off and echoed through his doorway. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Needless to say, shit's about to hit the fan.  
> R&R please. Let me know your thoughts. :P


	15. Chapter 15

The representatives here couldn't meet with the ones from the other sanctuary anymore for the time being, but that didn't stop them from meeting with each other. Some of them at least. Most of the representatives had already gone home for the night. Considering it was way past midnight now, Niall was about ready to call it quits and go home himself. He was already tuning Jonathan out. 

"So we're decided then. We can write up a request for an official committee meeting with some of the Elders at the earliest opportunity to discuss our new infrastructure plan." The remaining representatives all nodded in agreement from their seats around the conference table, but Niall didn't see them from his spot by the windowsill leaning against the wall and gazing out the window of the central building. He was so tired that his eyes were starting to play tricks on him. He thought he saw a flicker of darker shadow on one of the streets. "Niall... _Niall._ "

He shook himself out of his distraction and turned to an insistent Jonathan at the front of the room along with the other representatives looking up at him. "Yeah?"

"Do you agree with our proposal?" Jonathan asked. Of course he asked. Decisions in their committee meetings were mostly made by popular vote and were only influenced by a person's higher ranking equaling more say on rare occasions. Even in the many situations where unanimity wasn't required, Jonathan was a stickler for such democracy and making sure if not everyone was in agreement, that at least everyone was heard and given the chance to make their objections. Niall appreciated the man's goal of complete inclusion when it came to representatives' opinions on most days, but other days like today, it made for meetings that were far too stretched out with back and forth debate. 

"Sure. Sounds great." Niall tried to keep his eyes from drooping closed by blinking excessively as he gave his blind agreement. He had lost track of the minor details surrounding changes to their new infrastructure plan. At this point he was too tired to care about things like whether new structures would be made with one material or another very similar one. 

Jonathan nodded at him still looking as chipper and focused as ever. Niall started to wonder if the man ever felt like he needed sleep. "All right then, let's call it in." 

Niall bit back his groan and kept his tone even. "Now? Can't that wait until later?"

Jonathan shrugged as he tidied up his stack of notes on the table. "They have clerks take different shifts so they're available 24/7 remember? Besides, it's best we get the request form filled out now while everything is still fresh," he turned to meet Niall's gaze and gave him an apologetic smile, "We don't know when most of us can meet again and if we have something ready, we can run it by the others as soon as possible." 

Niall sighed and moved toward the table seating the other delegates who were relaxing now that their contributions from this point really weren't necessary. Some of them were even gathering their things and preparing to leave. Niall fixed himself by the intercom at the front. "Fine, I'll call it in."

Most of the official buildings shared an intercom system to ease the communication between separate departments. Niall had used the intercom housed here in the main conference room many times. He often made the call-ins during meetings after his first few times because of his experience and the fact that the others believed him to be one of the most personable. Long story short, Niall knew how the intercom worked. That's why he was even more concerned when pressing the connection button for the main clerk desk only gave way to a moment of crackling static immediately followed by silence instead of the light buzz it was normally. 

He tried talking anyway, taking in the time and remembering who would be the unlucky soul on duty at this hour. "Hello? Heather, are you there? It's Niall." No response, no noise at all. He toggled with the connection button. "Hello?" 

Jonathan came up beside him holding the bundle of notes neatly in his arms. "Maybe it's broken." 

Niall shook his head and listened as he pressed the button again, turning the volume up and tapping the side of the device. "If the intercom was broken there wouldn't be dead silence; there'd be static. Something messed up the connection." The intercom should only be noiseless when the device was completely off and Niall could clearly see that it was on. 

Something wasn't right.

Niall barely had the time to come to that conclusion himself before there was a bloodcurdling scream from Emily on his left paired with a bang at one of the windows as a person from outside tried to force their way in. An intruder dressed in a black bodysuit. 

_The darker shadow in the night._

Niall was instantly awake. In the next instant, everyone who was seated moved to stand, Jonathan moved to pull Emily away from the window, and Niall moved to pull the emergency lever on the nearest wall. 

 

_________________________________

 

The alarm blared on. At first the sound had been barely audible to Liam because the alarms had been activated from a few individual buildings quite some distance away from his own apartment. The buildings here were all built that way to differentiate a building-specific emergency from a sanctuary-wide emergency. 

But then more and more individual alarms went off and the sounds started to spread. People began to panic and the officials realized these overlapping emergencies were not a coincidence. This was a strategic and premeditated move made against their sanctuary. So the sanctuary-wide alarm was activated and the sound was deafening. 

People knew what the alarm meant and they began evacuating from their homes, crowding the streets in the sectors that officials had deemed intruder-free for the moment. Guards lined up along the top of the sanctuary wall and even more came out from the wall's interior to create protective lines within and between the sectors. The people within certain intruder-free (for now) sectors would follow the emergency evacuation plan while the other sectors would be forced to follow protocol and be locked down in hiding until the threat was dealt with. 

Liam's sector was in the evacuation zone and he was always one to follow the rules. But he also knew the other lads weren't with him. Zayn's apartment in particular was right along the border of the evacuation line, just out of Liam's reach. Half in and half out of immediate danger. Liam couldn't just leave him. 

Resigned to what he had to do, Liam fought against the tide of evacuees and evaded the guards who would disapprove of his actions and try to force him to follow protocol. He fought the part of himself that was internally lecturing him on his stupidity and impulsiveness, all while listening to the voice of an imaginary Louis in his head who was egging him on. _"Come on, Li! I know you're not an airbender who can run with the wind, but at least try to give me a run for my money and RUN."_ He pushed himself faster, so fast that he could feel his heartbeat pounding away in his chest even more than it had already been pounding in his panic. Liam was sure this was the fastest he had ever run. He needed to get to the other lads. He needed to get to Zayn. 

The alarms seemed to get louder the closer he got to Zayn's apartment. He found himself yelling for the lad over the insistent blare by the time he got to his building. _"Zayn! **Zayn!** "_ Guards spotted him then and yelled at him to evacuate immediately in the other direction, but Liam ignored them as he ran up the steps to Zayn's door. Out of breath from all the running and exertion and with the alarm still blaring like mad, Liam knew he didn't have any time to waste. That's why it didn't take him long in his decision to break the door down. Pumped up on adrenaline, the door snapped like a twig with one good kick. 

Liam dashed inside, his eyes taking in multiple scans of the room and his voice calling out repeatedly for the firebender he'd come to save as if it ran on autopilot. It only took a few seconds for the realization to hit and his heart to sink into the floor. "No..." 

He was too late. In his haste, Liam hadn't exactly stopped to see if his seismic sense could pick up Zayn's presence. Maybe if he had, he would have known before he broke down the door and looked frantically around the room, that Zayn was not there. 

 

_________________________________

 

They had to act fast. Most of the delegates were standing, but hadn't moved since except maybe to cover their ears to protect themselves from the blaring alarm. They looked like a bunch of deer caught in headlights and Niall already heard the distinct thuds of more black bodysuit-clad bodies hitting the windows ready to bust in, not a friendly sign. Any second now they'd be forcing their way in through those windows. Time for delegation. Niall turned to the female representative who stood frozen in shock in the corner. "Shauna," she jumped at the sound of her name and turned to face him with wide eyes, "get everyone out!" 

It took her a second, but understanding bloomed on her face. Shauna had been in a number of his weapons and combat training classes with him. Niall knew she could fight. She was the others' best bet right now in a roomful of representatives who knew little to nothing about defending themselves. Many of the others heard what Niall said and snapped out of their frozen states. The others here knew his abilities and trusted his judgment; they rushed toward Shauna and the nearest exit. Shauna nodded at Niall and started herding the others out of the room as the first sounds of pounding fists and cracking glass bloomed up. "What about you?"

There was the sound of a window shattering to his left and Niall turned just in time to pull the last girl frozen with her back against the conference room table away from the intruder starting to come through the broken window. He pushed her toward Shauna who then nudged her out the door to join the others in the hall. "I'll buy you some time and be right behind you!" One of the intruders landed in a crouch a number of feet away, but he moved wicked fast. It took only the span of a second before the man stood and a foot flew at Niall's face. He blocked the kick with an arm and used his hand to violently twist the man's leg, throwing him off balance. The man tripped, but managed to escape his grip and fall into another crouch. He swung his leg out to try and bring Niall to the floor. Niall jumped back and dodged it. "Take escape route B." He glanced back at Shauna stood in the doorway. 

That was a mistake. He saw Shauna's eyes widen as they left his gaze to look behind him. Her hand pointed toward him to try and direct his attention. "Niall!" 

He turned back to see a fist coming for his face. Only his highly tuned reflexes from all his training enabled him to twist away from the incoming punch and kick the guy in the side hard enough to knock him into the conference room table. Niall's knee cracked from the sudden force of that kick and he winced with the jolt of pain. _Dammit._ There wasn't exactly time for him to do some warm-up stretches right now. 

More intruders were coming in. There were already three in the room closing in on him. Niall was backing up and considering his options when he heard a clatter followed by Shauna calling out to him again. He chanced another glance back at her and grabbed at whatever thing flew toward him, thrown from Shauna's hand. A broom, not the best of weapons, but it would have to serve. Niall barely had enough time to turn back before he needed it to keep another attacker at bay. _"Go!"_ he gritted out in mid-struggle, focusing on the fight in front of him. 

He heard the receding footsteps as Shauna listened to him and ran out the door to guide the others down the hall. Niall's current opponent glared at him in frustration at the others' escape and Niall couldn't help the little smirk appearing on his face even as he worried about the shrinking distance between himself and more enemies in the room. 

Another bodysuit clad man at the farthest end of the room spoke up looking toward the person who was trying to push Niall back against the wall with the broom held between them. "Should we go after them?"

"No, let them go," the man in front of him said. "The first priority is to secure this building. Besides," he shoved harder against Niall almost causing him to lose his footing and then gave him a sinister look, "in case you've forgotten, we don't aim to take hostages." 

Niall took a quick scan of the conference room. There were about twelve intruders in here, including the one he was struggling with, the one who seemed to be in charge of this group. As he watched, eight of the twelve rushed out the door probably to follow their leader's orders and secure the rest of the building. The four remaining were the ones already closest to Niall and they took positions that would keep him trapped with his back to the wall if he wasn't careful. 

_Crap. Four on one._

Niall didn't have too much experience in this kind of a fight. Two on one maybe, when Louis and Liam tag-teamed him for practice sometimes. Better than nothing. Niall pushed back against the broom that was also in the hands of the lead man before him who laughed in his face. "What's the matter, blondie?" He sneered. "You must have known staying back to let the others escape wasn't going to end well for you." Niall suddenly let up on the broom between them, going from push to pull, managing to whisk the broom out of his opponent's hands and let the guy's momentum carry him painfully into the wall. The other three around him froze in their tracks. Rookie mistake. Niall repeatedly extended the broom he held like a staff and hit them all across the face, neck, and sides. 

It's true that he wasn't very fond of fighting, but he also wasn't very fond of cocky bastards. 

The stocky man on his left was the first of the four to recover despite being hit hard in the face. Niall could see him reaching behind his back for a weapon - a shock glove. Lucky for him the stocky one wasn't very fast and Niall managed to dodge the first strike, come back up around the man's back, and knock him to the ground, effectively disarming him and confiscating his weapon. By this time, the others were coming out of their shock and launched themselves at him. Niall spun and delivered another kick to the fella who had hit the wall to knock him unconscious then ducked the well-formed punch coming from a second man behind him. This second man was clearly strong in the arms, but weak in his lower body. Thinking fast, Niall fell to a crouch and kicked that attacker's legs out from under him. 

Still, Niall couldn't move fast enough for everything. As soon as that second man hit the ground, the last man grabbed him, knocked the broom from his grasp, and shoved him up against the wall so hard that the breath was knocked out of his lungs. The guy was stronger than he looked, all lanky and thin; he pressed the length of his arm painfully against Niall's windpipe. Niall reflexively grabbed at that arm, trying to relieve the pressure. The man only shoved him against the wall again, but then suddenly released him in a cry of pain as the shock glove still in Niall's grip came to life. Niall hit the floor, choking, his lungs on fire. He managed to pull the shock glove securely onto his hand and force himself up on his shaky legs, but the sight before him didn't look very promising. 

The leader was still out cold, but the two he'd knocked to the ground had already gotten up and the lanky one hadn't been shocked enough to keep him down either. Niall knew he couldn't make a run for it even if he wasn't weakened from nearly choking. He had fallen to the side of the room completely opposite from the doorway, his only escape unless he wanted to take a suicidal jump from the broken windows. Niall strengthened his stance in preparation to hold his ground and extended his arm out in warning, the shock glove buzzing with electric blue danger. He just hoped the others were safe. 

The three men closed in slowly considering the threat of the shock glove, the lanky one taking over as the front man for now. His eyes looked down right predatory, feral almost. It sent a chill down Niall's spine. "Looks like you're cornered, ma-" a sudden rush of wind knocked him into the wall and left everyone else dumbstruck. Niall looked in the direction of the attack and saw a form delicately balanced on one of the windowsills, careful not to cut himself on the broken glass.

"You've been back for less than a week, Nialler, and look at the trouble you've gotten into," the man smirked, his familiar blue eyes gleaming. 

"Louis!" Saying that name hurt his damaged throat and nearly made him cough, but Niall was too relieved to care. Their exchange was cut short when the three men once again rushed at him, followed by others through the doorway returning from securing the building. 

Louis leaped from his spot by the window and threw himself into the fray without any hesitation. He practically danced around his opponents even with six of them at once, all while throwing clever quips and seemingly enjoying himself. The men around Louis looked so clumsy compared to him, trying to catch him was like trying to hold onto air. Niall took care of the men who stumbled out of the group hoping to get away from the dizzying mess of evasive airbender tactics and find an easier target in him. Niall shocked them and kicked at them until they fell unconscious for their trouble. 

Finally, Louis slowed and retreated to come stand by his side as two men were left. Funnily enough, they were the lanky one and stocky one Niall had already faced. Two versus two, the odds were much better now. The shock glove had broken on the last man he'd electrocuted so Niall threw it aside, fully prepared to use nothing but his fists that were already red from throwing some hard punches. The stocky one looked scared, but the lanky one stared them down and grasped for something in his pocket. 

Louis threw out a punch of air so powerful that it knocked the two men back several steps. Niall watched as Louis threw several of these blasts over and over again, advancing slowly as their opponents lost more and more ground until their backs were nearly hitting what had been the far wall behind them. Niall thought it was over, that these men had lost. But when Louis moved to finish them off, the lanky one snapped a long cable out with his wrist that then wrapped itself around one of Louis's ankles and nearly tripped him. 

It would have been nothing if Louis was able to pry it off right then and if Niall had maintained his distance, but Louis had been in the middle of an airbending flip. The flip caused the cable to wrap tighter around his leg and when Niall stepped forward to help keep Louis from being pulled into the enemy's hands, the lanky one reached out again and caused part of that same cable to wrap around Niall's wrist. Wrapping the cable around Niall's wrist also pulled Louis's tied ankle straight up until he lost his balance. Still, Louis struggled and tried to evade with his flips and turns, blowing blasts of air everywhere. 

Every twist tripped Louis and almost snapped Niall's shoulder out of its socket. The more they struggled, the more tangled they got and once they were tied together moving in two separate directions, their teamwork failed. All their fighting prowess became useless. Tied together and unable to coordinate in such a short amount of time, they could not dodge the vengeful blows that came for them and knocked them out cold. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...fight scenes are hard. ;_;
> 
> R&R please.


	16. Chapter 16

Harry knew he was a pretty deep sleeper. Anyone could have known that if they saw how he had managed to sleep through multiple building alarms going off. However, even Harry couldn't manage to sleep through the all-encompassing blare of the sanctuary-wide alarm. It only took one second of it going off for Harry to snap awake. 

It only took a second more for his heart to race with adrenaline and panic. 

Harry didn't know what the danger was, but he didn't have to. The sanctuary alarm never went off for trivial things. It was with that knowledge that Harry sprang into action. He reached for his gifted and full water pouch resting on his bedside table and slung the strap over his shoulder until the pouch lay securely across his back. 

_The lads. Louis._

As Harry rushed out his door, the sounds of the alarms, civilians, and disapproving guards almost completely blurred out of existence. Nothing else mattered. Harry's mind turned only to finding them. 

 

_________________________________

 

Louis's head hurt. It throbbed so much that Louis wanted to sink back into safe and painless unconsciousness or at least get some aspirin, but moving to reach up toward his head made him realize he didn't have that option. His arm didn't move more than an inch. A slight turn of his head proved his near immobility was due to him being handcuffed to a pole and also revealed a similarly handcuffed and conscious Niall by his side. 

"You're up," Niall whispered. Even through slightly squinted eyes caused by his headache, Louis could see how beat up Niall was. There were numerous bruises and marks forming on his skin. Seeing them on Niall made Louis's blood boil and called his attention to similar markings on his own body. It wasn't just his head that hurt after all. His whole body was sore. 

"Yeah," Louis struggled in his cuffs, wanting to get some revenge on the brutes who beat them unconscious. He'd do twice - no, five times - as much damage to them for what they did. 

Niall shook his head at him. "I've already tried. There's no give." Louis only struggled more. The metal of his cuffs repeatedly clanged against the metal of the pole they were stuck to. "Shhhh...Lou, you can't make too much noise or-" 

Footsteps sounded nearby and Louis froze, heeding Niall's warning. _Don't be reckless, idiot. Calm. Breathe. Think._ The fact that he was bruised and cuffed made Louis see red and it was difficult for him to control his rage, but if he called attention to himself then they would never get out of this. He took a deep breath and analyzed the situation. All the windows were intact here, no broken glass, which meant they were definitely in a different room than where they'd been knocked out. That being said, the layout of the room was very similar to the room they had been in before, another conference room in the central building then. That made the most sense. The men who knocked them out probably wouldn't have risked carrying them too far and leaving them free long enough for them to wake up. 

Louis noticed that they were alone in this room, but the enemy probably wasn't far. The sound of footsteps, voices, and the mark of shadows streaming across the tiles and coming through the bottom of the room's main door pointed to the presence of guards patrolling the hallway just outside what would be their first line of exit. Niall tilted his head toward that door to get Louis to focus on the conversation that was steadily getting easier to hear the further the guards walked down the hallway toward them. There seemed to be a young guard complaining to his partner. 

"How long are we going to have to watch the two in there? They're cuffed and this building is secured from everyone else. They're not going anywhere."

The responding voice was gruff, deep, and curt. "We're standing watch until the whole sanctuary is secured. We're to keep guard and check on them throughout our watch to make sure they don't have any opportunities to escape by waking up." 

"We just checked on them a few minutes ago. They were out cold." 

"They may still wake up so we'll check again in a bit after another round. If they wake, hit them in the head like how I showed you and we'll knock them out again. At least until Reggie gets here with those tranquilizers. We'll still stand watch, but no need to check on them again after we drug them up with that."

"Yeah, they'll be out like a light at least until tomorrow..." 

That last part was nearly out of their hearing range, but Louis and Niall managed to make sense of it. Niall's eyes went wide in his panic, but then his body slumped as if in defeat or hopelessness "...God."

Louis struggled again and tried to minimize the clanging of metal on metal. "We need to get out of here right now."

Niall looked solemn. "They're metal cuffs attached to a secure metal pipe and we don't have a key or a blowtorch or a metal bender. Our options are pretty limited here." His voice was flat and overly serious, as if he needed to be so Louis would hear reason. 

Louis tuned him out like always; that thinking sounded far too much like giving up. He looked the handcuffs and pole over again instead and took notice of something interesting. "No key, blowtorch, or metal bender, but these things seem pretty bulky." 

"Yeah, kind of our problem." 

Louis struggled again, but this time extended the fingers of his left hand to get rid of his fist and used his right to grip at the cuff around his left. "Maybe our solution, actually." His right hand tugged at the cuffs and pulled the whole mechanism down until it pushed painfully against Louis's extended left hand that was trying to be as thin as possible. "Come on..." he gritted his teeth and pulled some more until he felt his left hand give under the cuff, the ring of metal catching on but slowly pushing past the fattest part of his hand and making him lose circulation there. 

It hurt like hell, but a slow and continuous downward pull on the cuffs followed by one more violent and almost scream-inducing tug at the end soon had Louis's left hand Houdini out of its cuff. The handcuffs no longer kept Louis prisoner to the pole, but they still dangled from Louis's right wrist as he winced and rubbed at his now incredibly sore left hand. "At least my dainty wrists and hands finally came in handy for something." 

Louis turned to a stunned Niall and inspected his cuffs. Houdini-ing out of his cuffs was no easy feat for Louis and he had slim hands...there was no way the same solution was going to work for Niall. "Did you see where they put the keys?" Louis asked, but even Niall knew they were most likely on the guards. He shook his head and Louis turned his focus on the pole instead. "We'll have to break this then...or pick the lock." He looked around the room for a weapon or maybe a godsend misplaced bobbypin from some council lady.

Louis was unsteady on his feet as he shuffled around the room as quietly but also as quickly as he could, looking for something of use. His body had taken a beating that's for sure and being hit in the head and knocked out wasn't too good for him either. Niall could hear the guards returning from down the far end of the hall, finishing another round. They'd be here soon. "Louis, they're coming back," Niall whispered. 

Louis must have been able to hear them too, but he gave no indication of that and didn't look at him. The footsteps only grew louder. _"Louis!"_ Niall hissed as forcefully as he could pull off under their whispering circumstances. Finally, the airbender's eyes turned to him. _"Leave now!"_

"You must be joking." Still the footsteps grew louder. 

"No, I'll be fine. Just go. Find the others." Niall knew he would be knocked out sure, but there was no point in Louis staying. It was better if Louis at least was able to escape. 

"I'm not going," Louis insisted and Niall saw in his eyes that he would not. The airbender pulled stubbornly on the restraining pipe coming out from the wall as if it would magically come free if he wanted it enough. Even if Louis was operating at full strength at the moment, this pipe was not going to break that way. 

It was only when the shadows came back through the bottom of the door and stretched across the tiles that Louis gave up on the pipe and moved instead into an ambush position as the guards came into the room. 

 

_________________________________

 

The sanctuary was full of chaos. Harry tried to stick to the sides of the streets to avoid shoving citizens and guards who were all in a hurry to evacuate to a clear area. The crowd was one kind of madness, but once Harry got past that, the streets became eerily free of people. For a while then, the only sound was the sanctuary alarm still going off until Harry ran further into the heart of the sanctuary and into more chaos. 

He ran straight into the middle of a master bending battle. 

Water streamed out and over the walls of the training compound in waves too great for Harry to even comprehend. The crashing of that water into the ground and building was comparable to the ocean itself. Fire crackled and flared in a glaringly bright inferno nearby, the heat of which Harry could feel burning into his skin even though he was a good distance away from it. But the masters weren't fighting each other. It only took another second for Harry to see they were working together in near perfect tandem, a complex dance perfected by years of training, not just separately but with each other. 

In the midst of it all, Harry could just make out the familiar figures of Master Haruko and Master Azriel. They were fighting teams of black-clad enemies who swarmed around with various weaponry of their own. It seemed an unfair fight in favor of the masters until you took in the sheer number of their opponents. 

Harry could barely hear someone call his name over the roar of the inferno and crashing of the waves. _"Harry!"_ He looked around in confusion and hope until his eyes landed on two more familiar figures stood in the shadow of one training compound wall. One of them had distinctive tattoos up his arm. 

_"Zayn!"_ As Harry ran toward him, Zayn met him halfway in his own run and dragged him back toward the compound wall and the second familiar figure - Master Jiro. Master Jiro, for all his calm, all but grabbed Harry by the shoulders and looked him over. 

The airbender shouted over the noise of the fight nearby. "Are you all right, Harry?" Harry nodded. "Good. Now you and Zayn can leave together."

"I'm not leaving without my friends," Harry argued just as Zayn echoed him back with the same sentiment. "Where's Louis?"

Master Jiro frowned at them. "I admire you two wanting to stay to find your friends, but it's dangerous. You two need to leave the sanctuary. Quickly." 

Harry opened his mouth to argue only to be cut off. Zayn's voice held no room for argument, "We aren't leaving without them." 

Master Jiro sighed in resignation before sinking to the ground, a palm laid flat on the dirt and grass. Harry and Zayn watched in confusion. "What are you doing?" 

"Finding Louis." Harry couldn't see what was going on in Master Jiro's mind, but he saw as Master Jiro sank into supreme concentration. He became as still as a statue unaffected by the chaos of the battle all around him and looked as if he had stopped breathing. It was crazy to think this could help them find the others, but Harry still believed if anyone could find Louis, it was his master. 

 

_________________________________

 

Jiro knew Harry and Zayn would not leave without the other boys they had come to bond with so much in their short time here. He knew he could not force them to leave, so for the sake of Zayn's and Harry's possible safety, Jiro tuned out the chaos and focused all thought on something he had tried not to think about at a time like this when he needed to focus on the task of keeping the people in front of him safe. But for Harry's and Zayn's sake, and even his own sake, he focused all thought on his restless and most treasured pupil. He focused all thought on Louis and any trace of him he could find.

Sure enough, some nameless force drew out of Jiro's own being and twisted through the many streets of the sanctuary until it reached the center, then the central building, a room in that building, and then finally a bruised and exhausted Louis in that room locked in some fight and protecting Niall. 

Jiro felt relief at knowing Louis was still all right, but also worried at the state he found him in. Jiro's emotional attachment to his student was what made it possible to find Louis in the first place. It was an emotional attachment that grew from years of training the boy. So Jiro cared for and knew Louis. And he knew the boy's limitations...

_Stay strong, my pupil. Help will come._

Jiro broke the connection and opened his eyes to meet the gazes of Zayn and Harry. "Louis is in the central building within the inner ring, the heart of the sanctuary."

Harry's eyes widened in understanding. "You mean the tall black building that has golden symbols when there's light?" 

Zayn nodded along with Jiro. "That's where the representatives hold meetings isn't it?" The boy looked to Harry, placing a hand on his shoulder to get his attention. "Niall said there was a meeting last night." 

"Yes," Jiro nodded again. "Niall is there with Louis. It seems Louis is protecting him from enemy guards. If you go, it will be dangerous." Harry and Zayn hesitated only for a moment. Jiro figured the danger wouldn't be able to stop the two from going, even if they were doubting their ability as new benders to protect themselves. 

Jiro shook his head and sighed. "Say no more. Go quickly if you're going. Be careful and stay together. You need to watch each other's backs now and, if and when you find the others, _get out of the sanctuary._ All of you. Do not come back here or stay in the compound. The shuttles have been shut off to keep the intruders from getting to our sister compound. You'll have to take one of the other emergency exits and meet up with the other evacuees. Do you understand?"

The boys nodded at him, wide-eyed and solemn. 

"Then I'll clear a path for you. Be ready." Jiro turned to face the chaos around him again. He had stopped and let Haruko and Azriel handle the fight in order to keep Zayn out of the fray. Now that the two were leaving, he could help them again. He found the point with the least barriers that led in the direction of the central building. He used powerful air blasts to clear the path over and over. _"GO!"_

Harry and Zayn ran forward, following Jiro's order. Jiro protected their escape, flying into the center of the cleared path in order to get the best position for blasting approaching enemies away. As he saw the backs of the two newest additions to the sanctuary fade into the night away from the battle, Jiro could only hope they would find Louis and Niall and manage to get to safety together.

 

_________________________________

 

He hid in the shadows of the corner by the door and blasted air into the guards' faces as soon as they opened their mouths to voice their shock at one of their prisoners being missing. 

Louis locked the door from the inside, but he knew that wouldn't do much to keep any other enemies away for long. He'd probably lose this battle; he knew it because he could feel the unsteadiness and soreness in his body in a way he hadn't felt in a long time. But he wasn't going down without a fight. The guards pulled weapons out on him, the young man with some kind of fighting stick and the older guard with what looked like a very deadly blade. The older guard swung the blade at Louis first and just barely missed a slash at his middle as Louis jumped forward to face the young guard instead of back in total retreat. 

Louis could tell by the way he wielded that fighting stick that the young guard had definitely been through training with his weapon of choice, but he also knew the man was inexperienced in battles because Louis managed to knock him out of his stance and throw him off balance over and over again. What Louis didn't know was how fast the young guard learned and how quick he was to hit Louis where he knew the airbender to be hurt already. Namely his head and wherever there were marks on his skin that made convenient targets to strike. 

Louis soon got hit in the side strong enough to push him toward the older guard who swung his blade again now that he had a clear shot. Louis wasn't fast enough to get out of harm's way and the blade slashed across his arm, leaving a shallow but long gash there that stung. Louis got distracted by that gash and nearly missed the blade coming down again this time toward his leg until Niall screamed at him from where he was still cuffed to the pole. Louis managed to evade the slash with a spin creating a whirlwind to increase the space between him and his opponents. The two guards were blown to the opposite side of the room.

Louis mustered all his strength and threw air blast after air blast at both of the guards in turn to make them keep their distance. If he could keep it up, the two guards who relied on close combat range wouldn't be able to touch him. Louis couldn't keep it up forever though, especially now when his head was throbbing and his vision started to swim. His body was giving out from its earlier beatings. The young guard came after him again and Louis struggled against him in a one-on-one until he managed to take the fighting stick away. He'd beat the guard senseless with his own weapon. Louis moved his arm back for the first blow. 

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." 

Louis glanced at the source of the gruff and threatening voice to see that the suspiciously absent older guard had been absent from his fight for a reason. He held a still cuffed but now forced into standing Niall by his blonde hair with the blade pressed to Niall's throat. Louis felt his stomach drop at the sight. 

Niall didn't dare move or say anything, he just hoped and prayed that Louis would see the look in his eyes that was screaming at the airbender to get out, beyond his own fear of dying right here. Louis looked stricken and Niall started to shake with fear and adrenaline only causing the blade to rub against his skin and leave little stinging cuts. But then Louis went from looking pale to glowing and smug. 

"Funny, I wouldn't stand there if I were you." 

"What are you talking about-"

The guard didn't get to finish his sentence as part of the floor rushed up to separate Niall from him before the slab of concrete-like rock forcefully shoved him against the far wall with a smack that sounded like it broke a few of his bones on impact. A similar slab of flooring did the same to his younger partner who became pinned to the wall beside him. 

Niall gasped for breath in his shock and crushing relief at suddenly being released, but Louis only grinned bigger. "Trying to steal my thunder by climbing in through windows unannounced now are we?" 

Liam frowned from his crouched position on the windowsill directly across from them. "Shut up, Louis. And grab that knife." 


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaaacccck~

There was an earthbended hole punched into the ceiling and another punched into the floor. 

“The pipe goes through the floors, Louis.” _Crap._ Probably wasn’t the best idea then to try and get the pipe loose. He had hoped the pipe was just connected to the walls in this room. 

Niall shook his head from where he was still handcuffed to the metal pipe. He opened his mouth as if to say something, likely to insist again that the two should leave him, but Louis and Liam both shot him a look and he shut up. They had already argued about this when Liam showed up and refused to drag Louis away. They were stubborn fools. 

“How long does the pipe go for, Liam? Maybe we could…” Liam shook his head “no.”

“It could go on through all the floors. I can’t earthbend through them all from here. And if we went to each of the floors, we’d either be split up or leave Niall defenseless. Besides, I’m sure we’d attract attention before I get to them all.” 

“Fine. That means we go back to trying to break this thing.” They had failed to pick the lock as well. The knife Louis had stolen from his latest scuffle had not been up to the task and there were no other lock-picking instruments readily available. The only other option left besides breaking the pole or cuffs was searching for the keys. Louis eyed the knocked out guards still pressed up against the wall by earthbended slabs from the floor. They hadn’t had the keys on them. Those keys could be anywhere, including on any one of the other guards, and there was no time to check or the desire to get up close with the enemy all. 

“Or you can leave me,” Niall said again. 

“We _can’t_ leave you,” Louis argued again for the fifth time. “Right, Liam?” But Liam looked uncertain now. Louis’s eyes narrowed at him, _“Liam.”_ They could hear the clattering of distant noise around them in the building, the guards were still swarming. 

Liam sighed, he could feel every guard nearby. He could sense them in this building in a way that Louis couldn’t, the way he knew the guards would be upon them soon. But Niall… He shook his head and crossed his arms. His face turned stern, resolved. “No, we can’t.” Louis gave a short nod as reinforcement. 

Niall just groaned. “What are you going to do when the guards come then, huh? I get that you’re trying to protect me, but that goes both ways. I’m trying to protect you too. So-“

“This isn’t up for discussion!” Louis hissed as he grabbed at the pipe again and shook it in frustration. 

Liam’s arms came uncrossed. “Louis-“

“It’s not like you’re ditching me,” Niall insisted. “You two already tried to free me as much as you can and I appreciate that, but it’s not working. Don’t get caught because of me and your stubbornness to stay.” Even Niall could pick up on the slight sound of guards running around somewhere above them. “You need to go, _now!”_

“Guys-“ Liam started. 

Louis kicked at the pipe. All it did was make a loud noise and vibrate. _Dammit!_ Guards could hear that. “No, Li! Both of you just **shut up!** ”

 _“LOUIS!”_ Liam hissed as loud and forceful as he could be under the circumstances. The airbender finally turned to him, panting in his frustration. “Harry and Zayn are coming.” 

Niall and Louis looked at him in shock. “What?” 

“They’re outside, heading over to this building. I can sense them. They’re almost here.” He nodded toward one of the windows. 

Louis walked over and looked through the glass. It only took him a second to spot Harry even in the darkness. Sure enough, Zayn was following right behind him. Louis turned back to Liam. “Stay here with Niall. Keep trying.” He opened the window and perched on the windowsill ready to jump. “I’m going to get them.”

 

_________________________________

 

Harry nearly had a heart attack when Louis fell from the sky and dropped in front of them without warning, but he also felt immense relief the moment after when Louis pulled him close in a crushing embrace. He gripped the airbender back just as hard.

“Hang on tight, Harry,” Louis breathed by his ear. He pulled back a bit before the jump to look over Harry’s shoulder and direct his gaze at Zayn. “You’ll be next, mate. Hang on.” Then all Harry felt was his stomach dropping and air rushing in his ears as Louis jumped up and ran along the side of the central building up to a certain window. Louis carried Harry in through that window to a dark room where he was met with another relief-inducing sight – Liam and Niall. 

“Hey, Harry,” Niall said though Harry noticed his smile was a bit weak. Then he noticed that Niall was badly bruised and had scratches on his face. There were also cuffs on Niall’s wrists, the chain between them hugging a metal pole. Harry attempted to suppress his anger and looked to what he now recognized as a similarly banged-up Louis with another pair of cold metal cuffs dangling from just one of his wrists. Harry needed an explanation for this. He only saw Louis’s lips pressed into a thin line. 

“Keep trying, Liam.” Then Louis reluctantly released his grip from around Harry and disappeared back through the window to fetch Zayn. 

Harry’s legs were still wobbly from Louis’s jump and his mind was still fuming with rage, but he stumbled toward Liam. “What happened?”

Liam grunted as he pulled at the pole, looking for a weak spot. “Louis and Niall got caught. Louis was able to get free from the pole, but Niall is stuck. And we’re _not_ leaving him.” Liam directed his gaze at Niall for that last part and Harry knew Niall had suggested it. “No way to get the keys and we’ve tried just about everything else.” Liam grunted again trying to pull at a different section of the pole. 

Harry wondered... “Liam, you’re a great earthbender. You’ve been taking more difficult lessons.” Niall and Liam looked at him strangely. 

“Um…thanks, Harry. But now is not the time for compliments.” 

Harry shook his head, “No, I meant - can you metalbend him free?”

Liam looked startled and his eyes fell into uncertainty. Doubt. “I don’t–“ Louis came back through the window again, this time with Zayn in his grasp. From the look on Liam’s face and the answering gaze from Zayn, Harry knew he had lost the earthbender’s attention. 

Louis broke the awkward silence, completely oblivious to the sudden tension in the room and the look Liam and Zayn had been sharing. “Any luck, Liam? We have to get out of here.” 

Liam shook himself out of his distraction. “Harry suggested…he suggested…”

“Suggested what, mate? Spit it out!” Louis said exasperated.

“Harry suggested that I metalbend Niall out.” 

Niall shifted from his spot on the ground and nudged a kneeling Liam with his knee. “You think you could do it?” 

Liam shrugged and shook his head. “I’ve been trying to metalbend for months now. I’ve never been able to do it.” Liam’s hesitation turned everyone quiet. It was rare to see him so unsure of himself. 

“Try it now,” Zayn said. His voice was gentle, hopeful. Maybe Liam’s metalbending would work this time when they needed it the most. Liam just nodded then stood and focused his attention on the metal pole again. Everyone stared and waited. They all saw him shift from standing with his hands out, not coming in contact with the pole as he tried to metalbend, and then moving his hands to grasp it firmly instead and try to metalbend it out of shape that way until it came apart. 

Liam’s face turned slightly red and a rush of air came out in a huge exhale as his arms came back down toward his sides. He shook his head again. “I can’t. It’s not working. I’m sorry.” They could hear the guards again. This time the sounds were a bit louder, the guards’ presence a bit closer. 

Niall looked at them all in turn and suggested again what Liam and Louis had both heard and denied so many times. “You tried. Now you have to go. Please.” This time no one said no, but no one would say yes either. “Louis, you know the way out. You always do. Get everyone out of here.” 

No one moved except Zayn. Harry saw the firebender shift in place and fidget as if he had something on his mind. “Zayn?” The firebender stared at him, Niall, and then into his own hands. 

Zayn’s brow creased in thought and his fists clenched, but he seemed to make up his mind as he stepped up toward Niall and grabbed the pole with one hand. He paused as everyone looked at him. “Harry, do you mind making sure Niall’s body doesn’t touch the pole?” 

Harry stepped up immediately and helped Niall shift so the only part in contact with the damned pole was the chain between his handcuffs that kept him trapped. Zayn’s eyes looked horrified and scared, they implored Harry to listen carefully. “And if you can, if something happens, protect him with your waterbending.” Harry nodded. Zayn turned his eyes to Niall. “If I hurt you…tell me to stop, yeah?” Niall nodded too even though he wasn’t sure what Zayn was planning. Then the four of them looked on in silence and awe as Zayn took a breath and the metal surrounded by his one fist slowly began to glow red and steam began to rise. He was trying to burn through the metal. 

Now it made sense. Zayn was worried how far, how fast, and how much the heat he was using to melt a section of the pole would spread to the rest of the pole, specifically to the chain of Niall’s handcuffs and then to the blonde lad himself. Harry bent water out of his pouch just in case and shifted his attention to Niall searching for any sign of pain, any sign of being burned. Nothing yet. Could Zayn even generate a heat hot enough to melt through this metal? Eventually, Zayn let go of the pole and Harry could see the damage he’d done. The section he had grasped was extremely twisted, thin, and weak. It looked like it was the consistency of modeling clay. Part of it looked like it was starting to droop. 

“Harry, freeze it,” Zayn said. Harry stood without question and bent water around the weakened section of metal. Time to weaken it further. He breathed out and focused. He couldn’t think about how he had failed to freeze water up until this point. He had to do this now. _“..every little detail and hand movement can change how the drawing comes out.”_ Small movements, steady hands, and focus. _Focus. Freeze._ The ice formed and Harry could almost feel the metal turn brittle under that ice. 

“I did it.” The corner of Zayn’s lips curled into the hint of a smile at his success. The noise of guards got even louder and the sense of pride Harry felt, along with Zayn’s smile, disappeared as soon as they heard it. 

Zayn nodded toward the door. “Louis, keep watch. Make sure no one gets in.” Louis followed without argument. The firebender turned to Liam. “It’s as weak as we can get it now. Liam, you’re the strongest. Can you break it?” More noise in the background, guards were coming fast. 

Liam nodded in determination and moved into what looked like a fighting stance. “Stand back lads and make sure you stay down, Niall.” They had barely moved out of the way when Liam quickly turned, raised his leg, and hit that weakened section of metal with explosive force. It shifted and creaked. _Again._

“Hurry, lads,” Louis hissed from the door, “They’re in the corridor.” Liam kicked again and the metal shifted more. _Once more._ Again, Liam fell into another stance, took aim, and did a roundhouse kick with all the force he could manage, throwing all his weight into it. The metal snapped with a sickening crack as the weakened section flew across the room and hit the floor. “Got it!” The feeling of triumph was cut short as guards slammed against the door that Louis held closed. The lock was broken. 

“Get Niall out! We have to go!” Louis shouted, no point in being quiet now. He grunted as he forced all his weight on the door. Zayn moved to help him shoulder the door while Liam and Harry helped Niall stand and get his handcuff chain through the new gap in the pole. The second Niall was free and Harry had a good hold on him to keep him steady, Liam moved into another stance – an earthbending stance. 

“Zayn, Louis, get away from that door!” They obeyed without question, Louis grabbing Zayn’s hand and pulling him toward the window. The door opened immediately and guards swarmed in, but Liam took a step and punched a hole through the floor right in front of the door with one powerful stomp. He took a step back, forced out his arms to each side then pulled them back toward his torso bringing sections of each of the side walls with him to cut off the guards, nearly crushing a couple between the cement slabs. “Go, if I earthbend anymore sections off, the room will collapse on us!” 

Harry shouted at him from his spot by the window. “Where are we supposed to –“ Louis passed him and jumped out the window, pulling Zayn with him. That must be their exit. Niall turned to face it with him. It would take forever for Louis to come up and carry each of them out. 

_“GO!”_ Liam yelled again bending his slabs of concrete into something of a wall and pushing back against the door with it. The guards had been pushed out of the room, but the smart ones headed for the doors of the adjoining rooms knowing there were huge holes in the walls now that would let them get to the benders. 

“We can’t.” Niall argued. “Louis isn’t back yet!” But then the two of them caught sight of the airbender down on the ground outside and just barely heard him yell “jump.” He couldn’t possibly mean that… “Are you _mad!?_ We aren’t airbenders, we can’t jump!” 

_“Trust me! JUMP!!”_

Harry’s heart pounded in fear. He looked at Niall who was looking back at him, his eyes also wide with terror. Still handcuffed with his hands behind his back and unable to reach for Harry himself, Harry held Niall tight, stepped up on the windowsill and then forced himself to fall. Niall fell with him, still in his arms, as the air rushed past them and the ground came up toward them far too fast for Harry’s liking. His stomach felt like it was sloshing everywhere, falling toward his toes and then seemingly pressing into his lungs so he couldn’t breathe. He was going to slam into the ground and die. He and Niall were as good as dead. He was- Louis spun and thrust his arms out and a mass of air caught them just a few inches off the ground. It cushioned their fall. Their fall from stories up wouldn’t even leave them with a bruise. 

The air cushion dissipated with a flick of Louis’s hands and they fell to the ground only to be pulled up to their feet by Zayn and Louis. Louis guided them all away from the building. “Come on, lads. We have to move.” 

Zayn froze and looked back up toward the central building. “What about Liam?” The question hadn’t even finished leaving Zayn’s mouth when a monstrous and rectangular chunk of earth rose from the ground then turned into a ramp just as Liam jumped from the window. He slid down the side as if he was skateboarding minus the skateboard. He landed on his feet, running toward them and breaking down the earthen ramp behind him so no guards could follow from the upper floors. 

“Go!” Liam shouted as he made his way toward them, all of the lads stunned at Liam’s earthbending prowess except Louis. Guards from the ground floor had heard them, spotted them, and were already in pursuit. Now was not the time to stand in shock.

Louis called back the boys’ attention by running ahead. “Follow me. We’ll have to lose them.” Niall was right of course. Louis always knew the way out and how to get there.

 

_________________________________

 

The emergency escape tunnel they ended up using was empty. All the sanctuary members in this area must have already evacuated long ago or were caught up in battle. The path was hidden, only known to a number of sanctuary members since the founding committee had banked on the idea that sanctuary members would follow the ones who knew where to go, follow the tide. It was safer for as few people as possible to know about the escape tunnels. In this situation, it came in handy. As long as the enemy hadn’t been privy to extensive details of the sanctuary’s layout – they should be safe. 

They escaped the sanctuary without any further encounters with intruders, but Niall struggled to run with both his hands behind his back. He did his best, but when he started falling behind, Liam carried him. They couldn’t slow down now. They ran across the sanctuary lawn under the cover of darkness and then fled into the surrounding woods not sure where they were going. They merely followed Louis and they would continue to follow him until they either ran into others from the sanctuary or were a safe distance away from the enemy. 

Eventually, Louis slowed and they followed his lead. They had put a good distance between them and the enemy, maybe a mile or so. They were all panting when they finally stopped in a little clearing within a tight circle of trees. Even Niall who had not run for a while was panting because it came from more than just physical exertion, it was the adrenaline and the fear. Louis turned to Liam. “Do you think this area is okay for a bit? Do you sense anyone else nearby?” 

Liam put Niall down to free his arms and honed in on his surroundings. He even closed his eyes to make sure he wasn’t distracted by sight as he focused on his abilities to see if he could sense any hint of someone else besides these four lads around him. “Seems clear. I think we’re good for now.” He opened his eyes. “I’ll keep a lookout or a…sense-out?” He shook his head, it wasn’t important. 

“Maybe we should rest here then,” Louis suggested. “Calm down a bit until we figure out what to do.” Everyone agreed and Louis decided to take some of the burden off Liam by climbing the tallest of the nearby trees, hiding among its leaves, and keeping a lookout as well. Zayn walked off from the center of the clearing and found a comfortable tree away from everyone else to lean on. Liam’s eyes followed him, but he and none of the other lads approached him. They could all sense that Zayn wanted some space. 

Harry stayed in the center of the clearing with Liam and Niall. Niall shifted from where he sat on the ground before wincing at the movement. “Ugh, I’m glad you stubborn lads were able to get me out, but these cuffs are really straining my back and arms. I suppose I’ll be stuck like this for a while.” 

Harry scooted closer to his friend and moved behind him. “Let me see that.” Since Niall was sitting down and couldn’t exactly raise his arms, Harry had to lie on the ground to be able to see the cuffs up close. He could tell that Niall’s wrists were already chafing against the metal. He wondered if they would bleed when the cuffs came off. He tried not to let his anger at that thought take over and examined the lock. It looked like it could be picked, but Harry had neither the tools nor the experience for that. “If only one of us was a master at picking locks.”

“If only I was a metalbender,” Liam answered. “I’m sorry, Nialler.” 

“Don’t be sorry, mate. You got me out. As for my cuffs…” Niall shrugged. “You just need more time. I saw how you made that ramp to get out. You’ve improved more than I could have even imagined since I was last back home, before my trip to the sister sanctuary. You’re an amazing earthbender and I know Master Kira saw the potential in you. You’ll be a metalbender one day. You just need time.” 

Harry backed him up, remembering what Niall had told him just yesterday. “Niall’s right. When it comes to benders, when it comes to us, we’ll get better with practice and time.” 

“Of course, I’m right.” Niall practically scoffed in jest and his tone turned teasing. “But you know, Liam, if you ever feel the ability rise up in you or just want to try again by trying to get these off,” he jiggled his cuffs, “I’m all for it.” He meant it as a joke, but Liam scooted closer to him and Harry moved to give him more space. 

Liam stared down at the cuffs and fiddled with the chain in thought. “I want to do this,” he said. His voice was so quiet it was almost like he said it for himself. Then he grabbed at Niall’s cuffs and concentrated. Harry stayed quiet and watched. They sat there for what seemed like forever. Liam would shift every once in a while like he was trying something slightly different with his hands and body, but he was otherwise motionless. After some time, Liam leaned back a bit and sighed. He wasn’t ready. 

Niall could tell he was feeling discouraged, so he balled his hands into fists and then stretched his fingers up as far as he could, almost to the point of pain, to make reassuring contact with Liam’s own hands still grasping at his cuffs. “It’s all right, Liam. I wish you could, but I understand.” 

Liam squinted and glared at the cuffs around Niall’s wrists. They had turned into his personal enemy, an obstacle to his progress and helping his friend. His hands clenched around the cuffs. Niall could feel the tension under his fingers from where he made contact with Liam’s wrists and he worried Liam would let this get to him too much, but then he felt the crunch and his fingers were more easily able to connect with Liam’s skin. He hardly dared to believe, but… “Liam, did you just…?” 

Another clench and Liam pulled his hands away – along with the cuffs. Niall brought his hands back in front of him with such relief and happiness that he actually started laughing. Harry just stared on in amazement. He grabbed the earthbender’s shoulder in excitement. “You’re a metalbender, Liam!” 

Liam didn’t answer. He simply held the crumpled cuffs up in front of his face like a trophy and chuckled with glee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R&R if you have the time please!  
> Comments give me encouragement, let me know what you think, and also help me grow as a writer. ^_^


	18. Chapter 18

There was a lull in their escape now that Zayn appreciated far more than any quiet he ever had before. It was a chance for him to calm down from the constant stream of adrenaline that went through his body from the time they freed Niall from the pole all the way up until arriving to this clearing. Zayn didn’t like the adrenaline rush. Just a few months ago, Zayn would have reveled in getting such a rush. It used to make him feel alive, but now it reminded him too much of painful memories, his recurring nightmare of his family’s burning house. So Zayn sat at the edge of the clearing away from everyone else and focused on breathing slow and steady. He just barely felt the heat of Liam’s timid gaze as he focused on clearing his mind. 

Zayn knew Niall had been freed from his cuffs by the earthbender turned metalbender. He had heard Liam’s triumphant chuckle. He had hoped it would distract Liam for a while and keep him a safe distance away from his spot on the edge. But it seemed like Liam thought Niall was taken care of now and it left the earthbender free to make more of his glances. 

The peace and quiet backfired when Liam finally turned his full attention to him. He knew the earthbender had been glancing over at him a lot when they had slowed their pace of escape, as if he had something on his mind, but it hadn't been safe then. Now that they had picked a temporary stop, Liam started to walk towards him and Zayn knew immediately what he was going to say by the look on his face. 

"Hey, are you all right? I came to get you earlier as soon as the alarm went off, you know, but by the time I got there you were already gone and I thought..." 

Zayn shook his head at Liam's rambling worry and stopped him, "I'm all right, Liam." 

"Right, okay," Liam nodded and looked into his face before his eyes shifted away. Zayn followed Liam's sudden glance across the clearing to find Louis launching himself into another taller tree to keep a better lookout. Zayn was pretty sure he knew what Liam was thinking about. Liam looked back at him. "I don't know what happened or why you wouldn't come out of your apartment or what you and Louis talked about," Liam started, "but if you ever need me to listen, I'm here, yeah?" 

_Of course, he is._ "Yeah, I know." 

"Okay." And then Liam hugged him, wrapped his arms around him tight. Zayn immediately accepted the hug just like he always had since the very first time it had happened. Accepting Liam's hug had always been his immediate reaction, as if it had been built right into his DNA, and Zayn had nearly relaxed into the embrace same as ever, but then his brain kicked in a second later and made him think this time of his arms slung around Liam's back that were connected to his hands. His own hands that could spew fire and burn him so easily just as he had burned through that pipe restraining Niall. Zayn tensed. 

Liam pretended not to notice when Zayn stepped back.

Zayn pretended not to see the brief look of worry and hurt on Liam's face at the distance he had suddenly put between them. 

 

_________________________________

 

Louis heard rustling below him followed by the sounds of a steady climb up his new lookout tree. He smirked when he heard a snap and then a curse that came from an all too familiar and naturally deep voice. “Need a hand there, Harold?” The boy was just in sight, further down the tree trunk, when Louis reached a hand out to help him up. Harry grasped it tight; he always seemed afraid of falling. 

“Thanks,” Harry huffed. He perched himself on the sturdiest branch near his. It was a bit too far away for Louis’s liking. For a short while, all was quiet as they scanned the area and surrounding trees, but then Louis felt Harry’s eyes on him. “You got the last cuff off.”

Louis looked down as if he’d forgotten already before Harry gently grabbed at his wrist and cradled it in his hands. “Yeah…it hurt like a bitch the second time too, but I didn’t want to leave it dangling there.” Harry examined his hand carefully as Louis spoke. Louis couldn’t help but notice the crease in his brows at seeing how red and raw the skin was from trauma. He hoped it didn’t look too bad. “I don’t know how we’re going to get Niall out of his.”

“Well,” Harry rubbed at his skin almost like a massage, “Liam sort of metalbended him out.” 

“What? When?” Harry addressed his surprise with an apologetic smile.

“Just now, sorry. I came up here to tell you, but I guess it’s too late.”

Louis cursed Liam under his breath. Of fucking course, Liam became a metalbender right after he got his last cuff off. Harry just giggled. At least that sound and the fact Harry still had his hand cradled between his made Louis feel a bit better. “I’ll get him back for that later.”

Harry hummed neither agreeing or disagreeing with Louis’s plan for revenge. He seemed distracted by the hand in his grasp. Louis smiled at his concern but it ended all too soon when Harry noticed the smile and then blushed as he seemed to realize what he was doing. His hand was returned to him with a quiet “sorry” that Louis quickly dismissed. No apology was necessary.

They turned back to face the trees in the silence that followed, but it seemed Harry had more on his mind. "What did you say to Zayn?" Louis tilted his head at him, not understanding. "To get him to come out of his flat."

"Ahh, that's not really for me to say, Harold." Louis scooted over and patted a spot that was much closer to him on his branch. Harry hesitated as if questioning whether the branch would be sturdy enough to hold them both, but then figured Louis and his convenient airbending ability would be able to save them both from an unfortunate fall. Harry sat beside him obediently. "Something Liam said to you two kind of broke him inside." 

To the two of them…so it was probably that talk about Harry’s fears, the fears he shared with the both of them. Harry eyed the ground below and rubbed his hands together in a guilty gesture. "Well, why didn't he talk to Liam about it? I mean," Harry glanced over to Liam who now stood just outside of hearing range diligently keeping lookout too, "the two of them seemed pretty close." 

"Liam..." Louis sighed and turned to look Harry more in the face. "Listen Harry, Liam is…strong, noble, perfect, annnd warm. Not just that, but he’s also sensible and responsible. He's more dependable than most of the people in the whole sanctuary, maybe even the world. And therein lies the problem." 

Harry’s brow creased in confusion. "I don't understand. What's wrong with Liam being responsible?"

"Nothing. It's just that sometimes facing someone who seems so _perfect_ can be…” Louis paused as he searched for the right word, “intimidating.” Yes, that would work. Intimidating. “Liam has always looked out for me since we became mates. He's pretty much made himself my surrogate father and a lot of people see him that way, as a father figure. So going to Liam with your problems can be like going to your dad with your problems,” Louis frowned. “You know he'll do his best to listen and help you, but at the same time it can be difficult to go to him, you know? Sometimes you think, because he's your dad and an adult, that he won't..." 

"That he won't understand," Harry filled in. 

Louis nodded. "I know that isn't very fair to Liam, but it's the truth. The fact that Liam could very well understand Zayn doesn’t take that intimidating feeling away. No matter how much Zayn trusts him, gets on with him, or likes him, he didn't feel like he could talk to Liam about what was going on." Louis explained. 

Harry figured he could understand that. Whatever had upset Zayn must have been very hard on him. Anything minor wouldn’t have been worth shutting Liam out for. Harry wondered what the issue could be, but he didn’t get far in his thoughts when Louis suddenly grinned at him, his eyes sparkling. "So I forced my way through his window, pulled some of my charm, and made him talk to _me_ instead." 

Louis had called Zayn out on his excuse being complete and utter bullshit, but he knew it really wasn't. Louis knew perfectly well what it was like to worry over your family and be protective of them. He especially knew what it was like to have younger sisters you never really wanted to hurt no matter how annoying they could be sometimes. He couldn't imagine the kind of guilt he'd feel if he had been in Zayn's place and set fire to his house while his family was inside. 

Liam was protective and he had his own family, sure. But, although he was fatherly, Louis knew Liam had never really had that unspoken and accursed sense of responsibility as the older sibling. Liam had always been the youngest of his family. He had no younger siblings to protect. Maybe that's why the earthbender became so fatherly; he had felt like he was missing out on being someone's older brother and protective figure. Besides, even if Liam had come to take on that role without needing to, Liam had never really seemed to fail in being the protective one either. He had a clean record that Zayn couldn't exactly relate to. 

"Zayn talked to me not just because I’m charmed to be so very persuasive, but because he thought I might understand his situation better. I also don’t have as clean or as perfect a record as Liam does. Practically no one does,” Louis scoffed. “It's silly to think Payno is perfect, of course. He _definitely_ could tweak a few things if you ask me." Louis joked, trying to make the situation lighter. "It doesn't change the worry people get sometimes when thinking about talking to Liam though. Zayn especially seems to think highly of Liam's opinion and he didn't want Liam's view of him to change by talking to him about what was going on. At least, that's my guess." 

“Okay, I think I see what you mean,” Harry said. He glanced back over his shoulder at the figure of Zayn sitting instead of leaning now at the base of a tree. “Maybe Zayn _will_ talk to Liam, with time. When he gets more comfortable or if he comes to see Liam as – well…not perfect.” 

Louis smiled. “Maybe.” He shifted a bit more in his spot and patted Harry’s knee to make sure he listened to this next bit. Harry’s eyes turned to him and Louis couldn’t help but notice that they were so green that he could still spot the color even now in the dark. “Listen, don’t you go telling Payno about all those compliments I threw out about him when he wasn’t around.”

Harry laughed at him. “Sure. It caught me by surprise a bit to be honest. I know you two are friends, but I’ve only ever seen you tease or argue with each other.” 

"Well,” Louis started, smiling like an idiot, “Liam and I have a complicated relationship that comes from a horridly long history. We were put in the same class once we both became a part of the sanctuary. I used to pick on him a bit for being a boring old sod and he never liked me then. Said I was quote-unquote _‘too immature.’_ Mind you that we were both like six and I'm even older than him." 

Harry grinned at that picture. A six-year-old and disapproving Liam with his arms crossed stood frowning at a slightly older six-year-old Louis with his own arms crossed and his eyes rolling. Harry shoved Louis with his shoulder. “Look at you now though; you’re great friends.” 

Louis laughed. “Yeah, we are. The best of mates. And he’s great to pull pranks on.” 

“Right,” Harry laughed again and this time it came out as a kind of cackle that got Louis starting to laugh again too. Eventually their laughter quieted and turned into slight giggling. The giggling stopped quickly when Harry saw Louis’s expression drop into sudden seriousness. Harry tried to follow his gaze through the trees. “What’s wrong?” 

Louis stood up in his spot and squinted. “Is that…smoke?”

Harry wasn’t sure how Louis could possibly see smoke when it was so dark out, but once Louis mentioned it, he saw multiple thin black plumes rise through the bright moonlight around one little area some time away. It looked like another clearing. Someone called their names from the ground and they turned to see Niall looking up at them and waving them down insistently. “Liam thinks he sensed something.” 

Again, Louis held Harry tight and landed them safely on the ground in one jump.

 

_________________________________

 

“What do you mean you don’t know what it is?”

Liam frowned at Louis’s question as he tried to make sense of it. “I mean that my seismic sense isn’t so finely tuned that I can tell every inch of ground from the next. I’m still a bit new at this and the distance between objects and places never comes out right at ranges like this for me. It’s too far away to be sure.” Liam shook his head, his brow creased in thought. “It _feels_ like people, but they’re all cluttered together in this hazy mess and no one really moves so I can’t pick up details. There’s nothing for me to go off of to determine if they’re from the sanctuary or the ones who broke in.”

Zayn spoke up. “But they _are_ people?”

Liam hesitated. “Yeah, I think so. Like I said, sensing from this far of a distance is new to me and I’m also lacking in practice IDing people by their movement through seismic sense. Especially with people who aren’t moving much to begin with.” 

Unmoving and almost stationary individuals. Harry could feel a pit form in his stomach. “Maybe they aren’t moving for a reason. Louis and I spotted something that looked like a lot of smoke right before you called us. Maybe there was some kind of fight and they’re…”

Zayn eyebrows twitched in surprise and the expression on his face darkened. “You think they’re dead?”

Harry hoped not, but... “Liam said they aren’t really moving and that they’re cluttered together. There could have been casualties.”

“Casualties aren’t the only possibility. Maybe they’re just injured,” Louis suggested. “Or they’re sleeping like logs. Either way, we don’t know if they’re friendly or…” he made a vague gesture, “ _not_ friendly.”

“Well, what if they’re friendly?” Harry asked, his brows creasing in thought. “What if they’re not dead yet and just hurt? They need help.” 

Louis’s voice was vehement as he turned to Harry. “Yeah, and what if they’re not? We’d be walking right into enemy territory.” 

The group stayed silent contemplating until Liam sighed and opened his mouth. “Harry’s right. If my sense is correct and they are allies, they might need us or we could join their group and develop a plan together. And if they’re enemies,” he directed his gaze at Louis now who looked like he was about to protest, “then they could either be dead, hurt, sleeping, or otherwise restrained from moving. They’re not as much of a threat to us in those cases.” 

His thought pattern was sound. Still, the other lads looked about as hesitant as Liam felt but did not show and Louis voiced the thought outright. “So we should just go right up to them and take our chances?”

Zayn, though nervous about the idea himself, looked Louis in the face and tried to calm him with reason. “No. We’ll go into stealth mode, get closer to the area, and scope it out. Liam’s seismic sense will be stronger the closer we get too, yeah? We might know for sure before we even get there.”

“And if it turns out to be the bastards who broke in and attacked our Home,” Niall added, “we turn back.” 

 

_________________________________

 

Everyone was on high alert as they walked slowly through the trees. No one talked and everything was quiet except for the loud footsteps of Harry and Liam who had never been good at walking silently. Louis, against everyone’s protests except for Zayn, decided to be an advanced scout and stayed a few meters ahead of the group until he was barely visible through the darkness to the others. Louis prided himself on the level of stealth he accumulated from all the years he snuck around the compound honing his airbending talents and he knew even his footsteps were silent and light as a feather – a characteristic shared by all capable airbenders. If anything went wrong that Liam could not sense before Louis encountered it, Louis would have his expert speed and agility to get back to the group and warn them faster than any of the other boys could. 

So Louis held the front followed by Zayn and Niall, and then Liam and Harry once Louis encouraged the last two to stay toward the back of the group considering how loudly they carried themselves when walking. “Your footsteps thunder,” Louis had said, “If we want any chance of going in without getting discovered, you two need to stay further back.” 

This was their system as they moved through the trees, Zayn staying by Niall so Niall could keep a close eye on Liam and then relay any warnings from Liam to Zayn. It was Zayn’s job then, as the second lightest on his feet, to warn Louis as soon as he could in that instance. Zayn knew this was probably the best plan they could manage with Louis’s eyes and ears up front and Liam’s seismic sense slowly getting a better shot at clarity of the situation. What Zayn wasn’t expecting was how he could feel the heat in the area, the smoke plumes in the air, the more they walked. He wondered if this was something firebenders could do easily or if this was something stemming from a high alert situation and lots of fire nearby. It made Zayn feel uneasy when he focused on the feeling, but then Niall tapped him on the shoulder. 

Niall pulled Zayn close to talk softly by his ear. “Liam’s stopped. I think he knows what’s going on now.” Then he looked Zayn in the eyes and nodded his head toward Louis. 

Encouraged by Niall, Zayn made his way carefully but quickly through the grass and trees staying as quiet as possible. Louis kept a steady pace ahead and was unaware of Zayn’s advance since the airbender only looked back periodically to check on them. With Louis so far ahead, it took Zayn a minute to have the boy in reach, but finally, with Louis was just a few feet away, Zayn reached out to grasp his shoulder. And that's when Louis noticeably froze. 

Zayn stepped close and chanced a low mumble. “Lou?” The airbender didn’t give any answer beyond bringing a finger up to his lips for quiet. Concerned, Zayn followed Louis’s line of sight and squinted to see a crumpled figure lying by a tree just meters away and barely visible in the night. Now Louis looked at Zayn, hesitant and contemplating. Was it an ally? 

Louis held up a palm to him before pointing down at the ground beneath their feet and mouthing a silent command: “Stay here.” 

Zayn did as he said, keeping his eyes on Louis while signaling to the others with a palm up as well to warn them not to move from where they were. Zayn felt anxious as he watched Louis carefully approach the unknown figure by moving in an arc from tree to bush to tree, always staying in the shadows in an attempt to stay out of the figure’s sight just in case they could be watching. But then he saw Louis freeze again and suddenly the boy couldn’t move fast enough to the unknown figure’s side.

Zayn approached them too at that moment, his heart thumping fast and hard with dread. The sudden rush to the person's side...It had to be an ally. A few strides later and Zayn could finally see the orange and yellow robes, a matching set to Louis’s own. An airbender… A blonde and young female airbender covered in blood with a messenger bag slung over one shoulder and a distraught Louis cradling her close. 

“Hannah.” 


End file.
